


The Baron Returns

by Poeticallymanic



Category: Neko no Ongaeshi | The Cat Returns
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-04-28
Updated: 2014-04-27
Packaged: 2018-01-21 02:14:36
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 12
Words: 27,146
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1533884
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Poeticallymanic/pseuds/Poeticallymanic
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Haru believed her experience in the Cat Kingdom was all a dream until a stranger from Germany shows up and takes her on a new adventure.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I'm currently bringing all my works from Fanfic to here so they'll all be completed.  
> I don't own or profit from The Cat Returns

Always believe in yourself, do this and no matter where you are you have nothing to fear….

Baron Humbert Von Gikkingen

Haru sat quietly carving away at a piece of wood. She held out the tiny fairy looking it over for any mistakes she had made and smiled feeling satisfied. "Hello Shouyouse." She then placed the fairy on the shelf with her other completed figurines. "What do you think Seiji?" She asked the man sitting behind her.

He came over inspecting the freshly carved figurine. "I believe you've finally perfected your art." He then patted her on the head and returned back to carving Violins.

"Thanks for letting me use your studio to finish some of my projects up." She muttered. Since graduating with her master's in art she found herself spending more time at her cousin's then at home.

"Not a problem. I was actually wondering if you'd be interested in doing some work for me."

She paused from her carving looking up at him, "With the violins?"

"No." He chuckled. "I've got a special request from a gentlemen that actually tracked me down."

"Huh?"

"Tea anyone?" She heard her cousins voice coming up the stairs. Shizuku entered the room with a tray of tea and some sweets.

"Yes please." Her husband Seiji smiled.

Shizuku sat the tray down at the table and walked over to look at Haru's fairy. "That's beautiful Haru. Great job!"

"Thanks!" Haru beamed, "How is your magazine article coming along."

"I'm almost done with it. I just had a little research to finish up on before turning it into the company." She admitted stretching her back.

After taking a few sips of her tea Haru looked back at Seiji. "So what were you talking about earlier? You said you have a commission job for me?"

"Yes." He smiled. "My grandfather was an antiques dealer. You probably remember him."

"A little. He was at the wedding right?" Haru asked.

"mmhmm." Sieji nodded. "This shop was actually his antiques store before it became my violin shop. After he passed I had to sell off most of the antiques he kept here, but some I kept for sentimental value. One I thought I'd never part with until I got a call one day from a german man named Bert. He then asked about my grandfather. I told him of his passing and… well he was very disappointed. Then he went on to tell me a story I was very familiar with. My grandfather had dated his grandmother in Germany before the war and they found an unusual figurine in a store while on a date. This figurine actually came as a set, but being that the female counterpart needed repairs, they'd only sell my grandfather the male. He brought it back to Japan and lost touch with his German girlfriend." He paused looking at Shizuku. "Dear, do you think you could bring the cat up?"

"The cat!" Haru gasped. She felt the hairs on her arm stand to attention and a shiver crawled up her spine.

"Yes." Shizuku looked at her concerned seeing that Haru had a look of fright in her wide eyes. "Do you not like cats?"

"No… no, they're alright." Haru gulped.

"You'll love this one. I was so taken by him that he inspired my very first story." She chuckled. "Let me go get him."

She came up the stairs and Haru felt her already wide eyes grow larger. It couldn't be, she thought to herself in disbelief, it wasn't possible, but there was no denying it. It was the Baron. She blinked wildly and felt as though she'd forgotten how to breath. For years she had told herself none of her experiences as a teenager were real. They were stressed induced hallucinations developed due to anxiety of exams, she had convinced herself.

She moved closer with her mouth still hanging open. She studied him. He had on the same victorian wedding suit, same little top hat, the same cane and orange fur. Then there was the eyes, like emeralds that seemed to flash like lightning. "It's him!" Haru gasped.

"You've… seen this before?" Sieji asked.

"Ummm… I think I dreamed of this same cat once when I was younger. It was this crazy dream where I became a cat and… I could talk to cats, but he was my guide in this cat world." She whispered moving slowly away from the figure.

"Really?" Shizuku asked intrigued. "It sounds like the story I wrote when I was younger. Hold on." Shizuku then disappeared back downstairs and came back up with a pile of papers stringed together. "Here." She said handing it over to Haru. "It's terribly written, but … enjoyable." She giggled.

"Alright." Haru said looking down at the book title, Whisper of the Heart. She would have started to read it, but Sieji never finished his story. "So this Bert guy. What does he want?" She questioned.

"He wants the cat and the female counterpart made." Seiji finally got out.

"But you can't give him the cat." Haru argued.

"I can for what he's offering. He also offered me a substantial more to make a version of his female counterpart, the Baroness."

"So this cat is called the Baron?" She questioned starting to feel all this was more than just than just coincidence. He was known outside her imagination by the same name. She just couldn't believe it.

"Good guess." Sieji smiled. "Anyways, Bert has basically made me an offer I can't refuse," He said in his best godfather voice, "But I told him I carved violins. Not statues, so I told him about you. It was strange… when I told him your name he repeated it like he'd met you before. Have you ever met any Germans?"

"No. Never." Haru admitted honestly.

"Well… maybe he just knew another Haru. He said he would be in Japan in two days for business and would like to meet you to give you a description of what he wants. I was going to take the profits for my sale of the Baron, but you can keep all the profits for the Baroness and trust me, you'll want to do this job." Seiji said rubbing his fingers together to signify money.

"He wants to meet me? He'll be here in two days!" Haru said again feeling static crawl all over her body.

"Yes."

Haru huffed out a deep breath, "Alright. Fine. I'll meet with him." She sighed nervously.


	2. Chapter 2

Haru waited at the art gallery, twiddling her fingers, and staring at a painting done by one of the boys she'd gone to University with. "He's improved it." She muttered to herself looking at the modern painting of a naked girl staring into a black and gray forest. All you could see was the girls backside hiding her identity, but Haru knew who she was. Haru had been his model and lover for almost a year and then… he found a new model. "I'll always be your best work you pig. Let that be a sad reminder to your cheating ass." She scoffed.

"Artist can be fickle lovers." Said a voice behind her. This wasn't just any voice. It was a mixed accent of both German and British. It was eerily familiar.

She slowly turned on her heels mortified that she wasn't the only one in the room and that her rant had been heard. "You weren't suppose to hear that." She blushed at the man that had been standing behind her. She avoided eye contact due to feeling embarrassed, but glanced briefly at a mischievous smile that twisted up at each end. She quickly turned back around to stare at the painting in an effort to hide her face.

He walked up beside her studying the painting with her. Though she refused to look at him she could see that he was much taller than herself. She turned her eyes to peek at him and she observed that as well as tall he was built nicely for a slender guy. He was also dressed nicely in tan slacks and a fitted white button up shirt with his sleeves rolled up showing off muscular forearms. Then her eyes followed up. He had a nice pointed chin, long smooth jaw line, a nicely sloped nose with just a slight pinch to it and strong cheekbones. He then turned his head towards her taking notice that she was spying on him.

"I apologize if it seemed I was listening in on your private moment. That wasn't my intention." He said in an honest tone. "I'm assuming you're Haru." He asked sticking his hand out for her to shake.

She awkwardly placed her hand in his not use to the european ways of introduction. "Umm… yes and you're Bert, right?"

"What gave it away?" He teased.

If his features didn't give it away his tousled strawberry blond hair and scattering of freckles on his nose did. "The accent mainly and I'm almost certain that you're not Japanese." She giggled.

"Very observant." He smirked.

"You're here earlier than I thought you'd be." She pointed out still blushing from being caught yelling at a painting.

"Yes. My business elsewhere wrapped up sooner than I planned." He admitted.

She soon found herself speechless as she finally met his eyes. They were long and tilted upwards and slightly lidded over the most beautiful green she'd ever seen. She found herself hypnotised by them. Finally she broke the spell they had on her by walking around the room. "So … Sieji said you'd like me to carve a statue to go with the Baron?"

"That was my hopes. I actually have a picture of the Baroness." He said pulling it from his pocket. He handed it to her. In the picture was a german woman with light wavy hair holding a female version of The Baron. It was an older picture from maybe the 1940s and though it wasn't in color Haru could see that the victorian dress worn by The Baroness was obviously white. "So do you think it's possible that you could replicate this?" He questioned.

Haru shrugged. "There's a lot of details in the dress, such as the lace, I may not be able to replicate, but … I can try. Why does this cat mean so much to you anyways?"

He seemed amused by this question as he grinned and arched a brow at her. "Would you believe me if I said it had sentimental value being that it once belonged to my grandmother?"

Haru studied his expression and answered, "No. I don't think I would."

He sighed, "I didn't expect you would, but the truth is rather difficult to explain at this time. I can tell you more at another time, but I'd rather see what you're capable of before divulging further details."

"That's why I told Sieji to have you meet me here. Follow me." She said leading him to another room of the gallery. The room was full of different sculptures. Most were modern interpretations of ancient Japanese spirits, some were inspired by European folklore, but her best work was her cats sculpture. It was almost as tall as herself and featured two cats, one black, one white, tangled up in a dance.

"This is very impressive Haru." He said walking around the statue. She thought it was strange how comfortably he said her name, but she just concluded it must have been a German thing.

"Thank you."

"I can't imagine where you got the inspiration." He almost seemed to tease.

Her eyes shot to his suspiciously. "What do you mean?"

He quickly tried to cover himself. "I mean it's a theme that often seems to repeat itself amongst artist. The dark, the light, entangled in a balance."

She narrowed her eyes at him. "Then you obviously don't understand it for what it is. It's a celebration of love." She corrected. "and overcoming differences."

He seemed entertained with her defensiveness as he chuckled lightly to himself. He then moved his pace towards her. "It's a wonderful piece." He said looking down at her with his entrancing eyes. "You're obviously very capable and I'd like to hire you. Here's half up front." He then pulled out an envelope from his wallet. He placed it in her hand, but continued to hold onto it while he gave further instruction. "I'll be back in Japan in a months time. We can meet here again on the 2nd at the same time and I'll give you the remainder if I'm satisfied."

"Sounds fair." She said finally pulling the envelope from his hand. She looked down opening it to see how much was half and then she gasped in shock. He must have given her the wrong envelope, she decided. This was an extravagant amount of cash. An amount she didn't feel comfortable walking around with. "This is too much!" She said looking up, but Bert was gone. "Bert?" She called. There was no answer.

She walked around the gallery searching for him, but he was no where to be seen. She again looked down at the amount of money with her mouth open and stared at it in shock. "I… I've got to get out of here." She said to herself and quickly made her way home hoping she'd make it without drawing to much attention to her panicked presence.


	3. Chapter 3

Haru was given a chance to live with her cousin in Tokyo after graduation, but she found herself bound to the old architecture and natural beauty of Akitakata, her home town. She'd take being surrounded by rolling mountains and beautiful streams over skyscrapers and concrete any day. Spending weekend with Shizuku in the big city was nice, but she always found herself returning home.

There were times she found herself regretting giving up on her opportunity to stay there permanently as it would have given her better work opportunities. Many of her friends that had graduated now lived in Tokyo and were now well known artist, but at the same time they also had to adjust their artistry to what mainstream wanted. Haru couldn't do that. She couldn't betray herself and she found herself often refusing commissions as they didn't seem to speak to her soul in the right way. This commision spoke to her more than she wanted. This commision left her eyes blinking wildly at night and her skin cover with goosebumps.

How strange it all was, she thought. Why did she allow herself to take on such a project? For a few days after her meeting with the elusive Bert she found herself hesitantly sitting at Seiji's work bench preparing to carve the baroness, but then she'd stop, study the picture longer and wonder where to carve first. This lead her to take a train back home and try to feel inspired in familiar settings.

The second night back home she finally felt called to start her carving and as though she was possessed she found her hands quickly carving away. Hours went by and eventually she fell asleep in a pile of wood chips. Days went on like this until she finally had the cat carved. She held it up next to the Baron and they seemed to be a perfect match structurally. "Now for the clothing." She yawned tucking away her project for the next day.

Haru was no a seamstress, but her mother had a friend who was. She set out the next morning to visit her and brought along the cat and the picture. She then flipped over the picture seeing writing. It looked like fresh ink, but it was in German. "Well that's not helpful." She mutter to herself. With a shrug she took off her shoes before enter Cho's house.

"Haru! So happy to see you back home. You were in Tokyo longer this time." She pointed out.

"Yes. I was approached for commissioned work, which is why I'm here today. I was hoping you could help me." She smiled sitting down with Cho.

"It would be my honor, so … what do you have?"

Haru dug through her backpack. "I'm carving the female version of this statue." She said pulling out the Baron. "and I have her completed except the paint, the eyes and … the clothing. I have a picture of what her dress looks like, but I've never been very good at sewing, so I was hoping I could now present you with a commission."

Cho smiled looking at the baron and then at the baroness in the picture. "Yes, I could replicate this outfit for you." Cho agreed. "What colors are needed for material?"

"I'm not sure. Everything's in black and white, but I assumed it's white as they look like they're getting married."

"You know black and white pictures are funny in the fact that everything that looks bright looks white in them, but I'm not sure this dress is white." Cho said pulling out her glasses to study the picture further. "You see, the fur looks white and look how the dress contrast just slightly."

"Oh," Haru said now noticing, "I wonder if this would tell us anymore." She said flipping over the picture so that Cho could see the writing. "Unfortunately I don't know German."

"Fortunately I know some." Cho admitted.

"Really?"

"I'm an old girl." Cho giggled. "and there were a lot of Germans in this area during World War Two."

"What's it say?" Haru asked in anticipation.

"The dress is red, collar pink lace, eyes blue, fur white, hat purple, feathers... blue and white." Cho translated.

"Interesting. Thank you Cho." Haru smiled. "How long do you think it will take."

Cho bobbed her head back and forth contemplating. "I'd say… about a week."

"Perfect. I'll hopefully have the eyes in by then." Haru then took out an envelope from her backpack with cash. "Do you think this will be enough for the job and the fabric?" She asked handing some of the cash out of it to Cho.

She took the amount, counted it and looked up at Haru astonished. "Haru… this is too much." She tried to hand it back to Haru, but she shook her head and pushed the money back to Cho.

"It's a small fraction compared to what I'm getting paid, so it's fair."

Cho cocked her brow curiously, "This must be a wealthy client and … a strange one. A female I presume?"

Haru shook her head. "No, it's a young German man that got my name through Seiji, my cousin's husband. It's been … a strange situation."

"Alright. If you insist." Cho said placing the money in a jar on a shelf. Cho then walked Haru to the door. "Come by at the end of the week and I'll have the dress ready and I'll feed you dinner."

Haru smiled showing her appreciation and bowed before jumping on her bike. Her next stop that day was to visit the jeweller. She was glad that Cho knew what the back of the picture said as she would have automatically assumed the baroness's eyes were the same as the baron's, emeralds, but it seemed they were sapphires.

Her time at the jewelers was about like her time at Cho's. He seemed eager to assist and even more eager to have the sapphires carved out by the end of the week after she paid him. She returned home, began painting the baroness and as her mind drifted into a state of meditation she began to think of Bert.

She hadn't been attracted to anyone since Kazuki, the artist. She'd really put her heart out there, but he seemed to want something more than what she could offer. She often blamed herself as she more so lusted over him rather than felt love. She knew he probably sensed it and she knew that's what ultimately lead him to cheat on her. Regardless if she loved him or not, she still felt betrayed and hadn't been attracted to anyone since, but Bert was different than most of the men she'd been around. He was … classy.

"Focus Haru." She instructed herself. "This is business."

The week passed by and she collected the finishing pieces. Cho did beautifully on the dress and hat and the jeweler seemed to carve the sapphires perfectly into cat eyes. She added them to the baroness and let out a sigh of relief as they seemed to turn her work into the exact replica of the statue in the picture. "Well Bert I hope you're satisfied."

Soon she found herself back in Tokyo as the day drew near for her to meet up with Bert at the gallery. The morning of their meeting she woke feeling anxious and she found herself primping in front of a mirror in preparation to see him. It was very unlike herself to ever primp. She was more of a crawl out of bed, find whatever clothing was on the floor sort of girl, but today she picked out a cute blue sundress to wear with yellow flats. She left her hair down and did her best with some mascara and pink lipstick. She stared at herself in the mirror wondering why she was doing any this, but quickly concluded it was to appear professional.

She placed the baron and baroness into a large purse and made her way to the gallery. After entering the gallery she once again found herself in front of the painting of the naked girl in the dark forest and waited. She followed the lines of her body in the painting wondering if she'd gotten fatter since then. It had been two years. She turned her head looking down at her bottom in comparison.

"I'd say you haven't change since you posed." Said the all too familiar voice.

Her body then turn to align with her head and she looked up blushing at the amused man. "How did you know that it was me in the painting?" Again she found herself in a hypnotic trance as her eyes met his. They glimmered so brightly that she found herself searching for color details beyond the green. The artist in her was always a stickler for details and he had plenty to look at, from the freckles across his nose, to the highlights mixed in with his strawberry blonde hair, and to the twist of his lips that disappeared into large dimples.

"It's rather obvious." He said eyeing her. "Especially with what I heard you say the last time we met."

She blinked in an effort to stop her obvious gawking and then mumbled, "You're early again."

"It's always important to be a little early, don't you think?" He chuckled.

"I'm usually fashionably late most of the time, so no, I guess I don't get that concept." She admitted.

"Interesting, so … to business. Were you able to complete her?" He questioned drawing nearer.

"Yes." She said kneeling to the ground to dig out both the baron and baroness from her purse. She pulled both out and he could see she covered in newspaper wrapping to keep safe. As she unwrapped them Bert's eyes grew pleased and she felt an accomplished smile form on her face.

"Beautifully done Haru." He praised. "Every detail is almost exact."

"Almost?" Haru questioned with a little pout.

"The sapphires are slightly different than the original, but that's to be expected." He explained.

"What happened to the original?" She asked.

"It was destroyed during World War Two." He said without thinking.

"Then… how do you know what the sapphires looked like?" She asked suspiciously.

"Umm… it's just the way my grandmother described them. She said they were a aqua like sapphire, but these are true sapphires. Much better in my opinion."

Something in Haru's gut told her that he was lying. She stared at him with narrowed eyes as he avoided eye contact while pacing around the room. He then pulled out two envelopes and held them out to her. "As promised, here is your remaining half and the other envelope is for Seiji ...for the Baron."

"I'll make sure he gets it." She said still studying him curiously. "So what are you going to do with them?" She asked handing him the statues. "Have a little wedding for them?" She chuckled.

"A wedding?" He asked confused and seeming less amused by her tease.

"Ya, aren't they a couple?" She asked.

He scrunched his face up as though he was offended by her assumption. "No. They're siblings."

"Sorry." She apologized though she felt it was unnecessary. How was she to know?

"I suppose I could see where you'd be mistaken, but the original creator made them for his sister so that she would always remember him when he was away."

"You seem to know a great deal about these statues." She pointed out.

"I suppose I do." He replied simply. "So Haru. It was lovely to meet you, but I must be off. Shall I walk you out?"

She shrugged, "Umm… sure." She was honestly eager to leave. She felt very confused and overwhelmed.

As they exited the gallery Haru heard a meow, followed by three meows and then an orchestra of meows. It was a sound she'd learned to fear and as she looked down the stairs her eyes widened in horror. They were surrounded by cats. Without thinking she grabbed onto Bert in panic.

"Where did all these cccc..ccc… CATS come from!" She squealed.

"Oh dear. I'm afraid someone must have found me out." He sighed wrapping his arm around Haru.

As she looked up at Bert a scream left her lips. Slowly his human face began to form into a cats and not just any cats, but that of Baron Humbert von Gikkingen! She pushed away from him feeling her heart leap into her throat, but he pulled her back into his grasp and began looking around for an exit.

"You're … you're THE BARON!" She screeched.

"Very observant as always Haru." He said jumping them both to the roof as 50 cats went jumping towards them.

"Not again." Haru cried as they made their great escape.


	4. Chapter 4

"More tea Haru?" Asked The Baron.

She stared at him with a scowl of disbelief still not fully comprehending how she found herself, yet again, at the cat bureau. When they escaped the 50 plus cat at the gallery Haru refused to open her eyes, both in denial of the chaos around her and in shock of seeing Bert turn into Baron. She felt him running and jumping her roof to roof while cat meows echoed all around them. She also heard herself muttering over and over, "This isn't real, this isn't real, this isn't real…" Now here she was sitting in the very tiny well decorate house of her memories, memories she had previously assumed had been tainted by her imagination.

"Ummm… no thank you." She said sitting the cup on the table.

"So … I suppose you have caught on that the old woman from Germany was not my grandmother." He said running his hands through his whiskers.

"I haven't had time to really process that, but .. ya, I guess that's an obvious."

"I do apologize. It wasn't my intention to ever bring you back to this world. In fact I was quite sure you'd moved onto your adult life without looking back at your ermm.. prior experience." He said sitting across from her and sipping away at his tea.

She scoffed, "My adult life isn't anything to brag about, trust me."

"Oh come now. You're an artist and a talented one." He smiled to himself. "Not only that, but you're an inspiration to other artist."

"What do you mean… oh," She snickered, "Don't tease." She now knew he was referring to the painting. "Hold up now, you're trying to distract me! How are you real?"

"I've always been real." He laughed. "Didn't I explain this to you the last time?"

"I'm sorry," Haru chuckled with a mocking laugh, "but I took what lessons were taught during that delusion and tried to move on in life. This is a delusion or dream of some kind... right?"

"Not in the least." He smirked. He paced about with his little top hat before answering. "You may remember me telling you when something is created with love it is given a soul. In this case my soul has been kept alive by many creators. You being the most current."

Her brow concentrated seemingly confused, "But I didn't create you."

"Your belief in me did, as did your cousins, and Shiro the antiques dealer. Even going back further I've been kept alive by belief and … the fact that my created form has been maintained and cared for."

"The statues part of yourself?" She questioned for clarification.

"Yes and I needed a statue form of my sister Abigail to be made by one of my past creators. I had been searching for her for sometime and when I found out she was destroyed … well I knew she had to be made new again. Shiro was the first to spring to mind due to his artistry, but he had passed. I'll admit I was as shocked as yourself when I found out the link between you and Shiro. I had not intended on see you ever again as you seemed to no longer need my assistance, but when Seiji mentioned your name I had to come to Japan. I had to see if it was the same Haru and sure enough, it was." He took a deep breath and sat before Haru, in a victorian green chair, still deep in thought. "I'm still baffled at the complexities that brought us together again, but for one reason or another our lives have crossed again and now I need your assistance."

"Ya… I'm not sure what to think about all this. You know what… you've got your statue, so why do you need be still? I could just go back to my world and we can just vow not to keep repeating situations like this because it's not good for my mental state." She explained with her face twisted up in distaste.

He sighed, "That was my plan, but now … you'll be followed and possibly kidnapped if I send you back."

"What!" She shrieked.

"The Cat King has been informed that I am … immortal because my soul is attached to this statue and he thinks you have the power to do the same to him. What he doesn't understand is that my soul was created because of the statue." Baron looked displeased as he looked out the tiny window of his home. "So I will try to convince him."

"So that he doesn't try to kidnap me?" Haru questioned.

Baron looked back towards her with a small smile. "That is one reason, but primarily because he has my sisters cat spirit held captive in the cat kingdom hoping I'll hand you over as an exchange, but do not fret Haru. I wouldn't do that to you."

She sighed now knowing what he did want out of her. "That must mean you'll want me to go to the cat kingdom with you to show I really don't have an magic soul binding powers, right?"

"Nope." Said a familiar heavy voice entering the house. "You'll be going with me and him."

Haru turned with smile recognizing the voice straight away. "Muta!"

He slowly made his way to a chair and squeezed himself into it. "Hey kid." He said with the same tone of indifference that he always had.

"I'm so glad to see you! I thought I'd never see you again. I missed your faaa…. fantastic face." She quickly corrected.

"You were going to say fat face!" He growled. "I'll have you know I've lost weight since you last saw me."

She couldn't help, but chuckle at him like old times. He was just such a fat large butterball of fluff, but he had the personality of a grumpy old man. "I'm sorry Muta, but I really am happy that I'll have you around for this second journey into madness." Haru stood. "Alright. Fine. Let's do this." She agreed still believing this was all just some dream, so she didn't see the potential harm that lay ahead.

"Wonderful." Baron clapped. "Muta would you do the honors of opening the portal into the cat kingdom for us."

Muta grumbled lifting himself from the chair with great effort. He then walked them outside and stood in front of the fountain. She heard a caw and looked up. "Toto!" She smiled seeing the large raven perched above.

"Hello Haru. Didn't think we'd see you around here again."

"I didn't think I'd be back… or that any of this was real." She admitted. "I'm still not certain, but I'm glad to see you all again."

"You should always believe in us Haru, but I can understand where you'd have a hard time believing a cat that fat exist in the world." He provoked Muta.

"Watch it bird brain. This fat cat hasn't eaten much today and bird is next on the menu." Muta warned in what looked like a scowl, but he was always scowling, so it was difficult to see the level of offence he was taking.

"We don't have time for this my friends." Said Baron in a calm voice. "Toto, if you could please be on the look out for anything suspicious while I'm gone I'd appreciate it."

"Not a problem Baron." Toto agreed.

"Thank you. Muta I believe we're ready." He said reaching out to grab Haru's hand. She looked down at the little orange cat and found herself wanting to pat his little top hat. She controlled her urge and instead held onto his paw and then felt Muta grab her other hand. Slowly a circle of wind began moving in front of them and both cat's dragged Haru with them as they leapt into the portal.

As before the travel from one kingdom to the next happened in the blink of an eye. She found herself standing in a field of catnip with Baron and Muta and she seemed to have shrunk as they now they were both a head taller than her. It then dawned on her that maybe changing like before. She quickly went to feel her face and felt whiskers. Then she looked at her hands… paws. She twirled around looking over her shoulder, a tail hung out the bottom of her dress. She cried out and jumped back as though she was trying to jump out of her own skin… or fur. "I'm a cat!"

"That happened more quickly than last time." Muta chuckled amused.

"This is not good. Is this like last time to where I have like a set amount of time before this is permanent?" She pouted.

Baron looked at her from the corner of his eyes with a playful smile, "Now what would be so wrong with being a cat?"

Her pout turned into a glare and she stood in front of him, paws on her hips, answering, "I'm not suppose to be a cat! That's what's wrong with this!" She said gesturing to her body with her hands.

Baron snickered and explained, "You have 24 hours and I promise I'll have you out of here before then, even if our mission isn't complete. I give you my word."

"I'll hold you to it." She said crossing her arms and pushing out her chin.

"Princess Yuki was suppose to meet us here, but … I don't see her." Muta pointed out.

Baron's eyes looked around suspiciously. "I don't see anyone working the fields today. How very strange."

"Somethings up." Muta pointed out now looking around with Baron with a watchful eyes.

It was dead silent, but then they heard a yelp. They quickly turned and saw Haru being dragged off by three cat guards. She kicked and clawed screaming, "Baron! Muta! Help!"

Both cats went running after her, but the guards gained the advantage as they placed Haru on a carriage pulled by cats and took off towards the castle. Muta first gave up his attempt at chasing after her and then slowly Baron came to the realization that he would not catch up. Baron turned towards Muta slowly catching his breath. "We need to restrategize."

"That's obvious." Muta panted sitting down on the ground trying to regain his energy.

Haru had to be held down in the carriage the whole way to the castle. She then was dragged up the castle stairs and brought to a room where two cat maids were waiting for her. They bowed calmly, but their expressions soon changed as Haru kicked and clawed at the guards still holding onto her. "My lady, you must calm yourself." They said taking hold of her, so that the guards could leave.

"No." Haru hissed, but the maids were surprisingly strong despite their delicate demeanor. As they sat on her she heard another maid enter the room carrying a silvery dress. The maids then began to strip her of her clothing as she continued to claw and flail. They were quick. Quicker than her and as they let go of her she found herself dressed like some tragic elizabethan character from a book.

"My lady, you look so lovely. The king will be most pleased." One of the cat maids smiled.

"The king!" Haru roared. "Oh I have some words for him. Where is that fat, over fluffed, pompous …"

"Hey babe." She heard from behind her.

She quickly turned knowing who stood behind her. She marched over and pointed her finger in the Cat Kings face, "What's your game cat!"

"Game? There's no games here. I think you know why you're here Haru." He sneered. "I do like games though. What game should we play?"

"There is no time for games your highness." Explained his advisor Natori. "We need her to fashion a statue of you as soon as possible."

Haru sneered and shook her head. "Look, I've already been told you think I have some magic way to … attach your soul to a statue, but I don't. I really really don't, so whatever your thinking will happen, won't. I'm a normal boring young woman, so… just let me go back home and give Baron his sister."

"Not happening." The King smiled leaving.

Her mouth hung open appalled and soon she felt herself being pulled by the maids as they followed Natori. "What… where are you taking me now?" She questioned pulling her arms away from the maids.

"We set up an area for you to start your carving. You'll have to be quick as we aren't sure if your powers will work after you turn into a cat." Natori explained dully.

"What powers!" Haru grumbled. "I just explained this to you. I don't have powers to do… ANYTHING!"

"Well, we shall see." Natori said looking her over cynically.

"Where is Yuki and Prince Lune? I demand to speak to them." Haru asked as they stopped in front of a door.

"That really isn't of any concern to you. Your primary concern at this time is to carve a statue." He explained.

"I refuse to carve a statue unless … we make a deal." She said with a smirk.

Natori huffed, "What deal?"

"If I complete a statue by the end of the day you have to send me back to my world." She presented.

Natori narrowed his eyes deep in thought. "If you finish the statue and use your powers to make the king immortal then you have a deal." He then pushed her in a room and shut the door.

Haru sulked crashing her back to the door. She then turned looking out a little barred window on the door and shouted to Natori as he walked away, "Hey what's with the clothes? I can't work like this."

"You'll be joining his highness for dinner this evening, so you better keep yourself presentable." He advised.

"Uhh!" She frustratedly growled as she clawed up the door. She then turned and saw a table with different carving tools and a chopped log of wood. It wasn't possible to carve what they wanted in a day. None of it was possible, so Haru found herself crying into the work table rather than carving at it. "Baron… Muta, wherever you are you better save me soon!"


	5. Chapter 5

Haru made her best attempt at carving the wood, but her desperate despair soon ended her efforts. She stared at the block of wood that was beginning to look like a fat cat king, just barely, and then she threw it across the room. She again laid her head down on the workspace ready for a good cry. It had been hours since she was kidnapped and she was now growing incredibly angry.

She seethed standing to look out a very tiny barred window. It mocked her imprisonment as she looked out onto the catnip covered landscapes of freedom. "Where are you guys?"

"Right here." Whispered Baron.

She jumped back from the window not expecting an answer, but then upon realizing whose voice it was she rushed back grabbing at the bars. "Get me out of here!" She shouted.

"Shut it stupid." Muta whispered. "You trying to inform the whole castle?"

Just before she could retort her room door began to unlock. Natori stepped in and Haru quickly turned facing him. He looked her up and down displeased. With a huff he said, "Not at your best, but you'll have to do."

"To do what?" Haru asked with her paws on her hips.

"You'll have to do as a guest … for the king." Her reminded with narrowed eyes. "Follow me."

"Umm… can you give me just a little moment?" Haru smiled holding up her finger.

"No. Come along." He said coldly with his cat nose up in the air.

She looked over her shoulder through the small window and down at Baron and Muta holding on for dear life to the castle wall stones. "Just … go." Baron whispered.

She turned back to Natori with his eyes focussed suspiciously. She giggled nervously. "Hehe, ya, let's go. I'm hungry." She said with false eagerness. When his back turned she stuck her tongue out bitterly and followed.

She made her way down the the elaborate dining room and was seated next to the obese cat king who eyed her in all sorts of uncomfortable ways. She cringed and took her seat. A plate of sushi was brought to her (much to her relief, last time she was served mice) and she quickly began eating it. She watch ahead, refusing to look at the king, as different entertainment of acrobatic cats jumped around.

"So babe… how's my statue coming?" The Cat King asked.

"Not in the least bit done and I doubt I'll finish." She grumbled.

"That's nice babe." He said not paying attention or caring.

She rolled her eyes and went back to finishing off her plate. "So I'm done here. I better get back up to my work."

"Wouldn't you like a swing with The King. Give us a chance, let's have a dance. We can…"

"Just … just stop." Haru said with a disgusted look. "I don't have time you ... your highness."

"I'll take a raincheck." He winked.

"Heh, mmhm, ya… I'm off." Haru said approaching Natori so that she could be escorted back to her prison which didn't seem so bad after spending 30 minutes with the king.

After being locked in and seeing that she was indeed alone she went back to the window. Neither Muta nor Baron were there. She scoffed in disbelief wondering where they had gone. She began to turn away to cry, but then out from under her table both Baron and Muta jumped out. Just as she went to scream from surprise Baron quickly covered her mouth. Once she realized who it was she quickly turned hugging him. He hugged her back secretly taking in her honeysuckle scent. That enjoyment ended as Haru aggressively pushed him away.

"What took you so long!" She yelled, but then covered her mouth realizing this was not the best time to be raising her voice.

"We had to figure out how to pull the bars out. It's not an easy task Haru." Baron said still slightly out of air. He then demonstrated showing her that the bars could now easily be pulled off.

"I know. I'm sorry. Thank you for helping me out of this mess you got me into." She added sarcastically.

"You're most welcome." Baron smirked mischievously.

"Hate to break up your little moment, but we got to get out of here." Muta reminded them. "Now."

"You first Muta." Baron gestured.

Muta crawled through the window, getting stuck about halfway through. Both Baron and Haru had to push him the rest of the way out. Then Baron followed behind. He remained hanging on the ledge until Haru crawled out. He then rub her ankle to get her attention.

"Crawl on my back Haru." He told her with strain in his voice.

"Alright." She said slowly making her way down his body, wrapping her arms around his neck and clinging on. As they made their way down Haru was wishing that it was the human form Baron she was clinging to. He was so handsome in his human form. In his cat form he was still quite firm and almost felt like he had the muscular structure of a man, but that still didn't hide the fact that he was a cat. Still he was charming as could be in either form. She felt quite confused after returning the last time and slightly sickened by the fact that she had a crush… on a cat. She stubbornly refused to allow herself to do that again, but it was more difficult now. She saw his human potential.

They made their way down the castle jumping from a ledge into an open window. Thankfully the room was empty, so they quickly made their way out of it and snuck through the castle. "Where are we going?" Haru finally asked.

"The dungeons. To get my sister." Baron answered.

They found a door that slowly led down to a gloomy wet cave. The only light in this damp place was that of a few torches. Slowly they passed cell after cell looking in. Each cell Baron passed with frustration. Even stranger was that there wasn't anything, but dogs in the cells. They finally came to the last cell and found that it was empty. "Where is she?" Baron stomped.

"Are you looking for a white cat?" Asked a voice in the cell across from the empty one.

They moved slowly over. "Yes." Baron answered looking into the cell suspiciously. Haru and Muta looked from behind Baron to see a wolf like dog in the cell. He looked like he was on his last leg and he barely rasped his words out.

"She was taken last month when we dogs attacked the castle. We thought she was Princess Yuki being that she's a white cat, but I suppose she's not. I saw the prince and princess here last month looking in that very cell." He explained. "They too were looking for that white cat."

"Where did the prince and princess go?" Muta asked.

"I suppose with the rest of the army to bring back all the cats that the dog army took." He snickered. "They have no idea what they're up against. They will be defeated."

Baron narrowed his eyes. "Thank you for the information."

"No need to thank me. Any cat that will willingly delivery itself to its own death is one less cat to me." He cackled which eventually turned into a cough.

"Let's get the hell out of here." Haru grimaced.

"I agree." Baron said linking his arm with hers and pulling her as they ran out of the castle. The continued to run (only stopping twice for Muta) through the fields and over the hills until they were far away from cat civilization. They entered a forest and took a seat where they could rest.

"What now Baron?" Muta panted sitting on a log and hunched over.

"Well… off to the Dog Kingdom." Baron said pacing about.

"unh- uh." Muta said crossing his arm. "I've never gone there and never will."

"What, the fearless Muta afraid of a few pups?" Haru teased.

"A few dogs? Try double the amount of dog then there are cats in the cat kingdom."

"What? Wow. How have they not taken over the cat kingdom before now?" Haru questioned.

"Despite their numbers they have very little brains and Prince Lune has always used this to his advantage. He's a very tactically leader. It's shocking that he comes from the same line as the king." Baron explained.

"I can agree with that. That cat is a freak." Haru added.

"Muta… at least take me as far as Prince Lune's military camp." Baron pleaded.

"Fine, but that's as far as I'm going." Muta grumbled.

"Thank you." Baron said with a humble bow.

"Five more minutes. I haven't ran that much in…. I don't think I've ever ran that much." Muta admitted. Haru and Baron looked at each other with a snicker.

After about 15 minutes the group headed out again. They walked through the woods for what seemed like hours until they came to a clearing with different tents set up. Muta lead them to the largest tent, but before they entered two cat guards stopped them.

"We're friends to Lune." Muta growled.

"Prince Lune isn't seeing any friends today." One of the guards added coldly.

"Please! We need to see him. I can't be here much longer." Haru begged the guards.

"We said…." The guard started.

"Did I hear Haru?" Asked a feminine voice. Then Yuki popped her head out the tent. She looked up seeing Haru and jumped excitedly before pushing past the guards to hug Haru.

"Yuki!" Haru smiled wrapping her arms around heri. She seemed …. larger than before, but her stomach was hard as a rock. She looked down and then it hit her. "Yuki … are you…"

"Pregnant!" Yuki finished for her.

"Oh wow!" Haru smiled rubbing Yuki's belly.

"Congratulations." Baron smiled.

"Thank you." Answered Prince Lune stepping outside the tent.

"It's about time Lune." Muta added with a wink.

"So… what are you doing here?" Yuki finally asked looking at Haru yet again in cat form.

"It's his fault really." Haru said narrowing her eyes at Baron. "I got pulled into this mess. It's a long story, but we're trying to locate his sister. We think she was captured by dogs."

"Was she a long slim cat with white fur?" Yuki asked.

"Yes." Baron replied with wide eyes.

"She was found a couple of years ago wandering the lands here. She didn't remember who she was, so she was brought here to the castle. She was offered a position as a ladies maid to me being that she seemed well verse on etiquette. She was always so sweet and I never had an issue with her, but one day she… became frantic. She started screaming and scratching at everyone. I … I don't know what happened. They locked her away in a cell not knowing what else to do with her." Yuki explain with a disheartened tone. "but she went missing just recently."

"A bunch of prisoners escaped the night the dogs attacked. We still don't know how, but we can only assume thats when she went to run away and they mistook her for Yuki as they do look similar. Unfortunately she was mad Baron. There's no telling what's happened to her."

"Verdammt!" Shouted Baron and walked away from the group with his hand on his chin deep in thought.

Haru wasn't sure what that meant, but she knew it wasn't pleasant. She gazed frustratedly at Baron as he walked away, but then pulled herself together. Someone needed to get things rolling and it seemed her fearless leader was slipping. "So Prince Lune, Princess Yuki, I'm begging for your help. I have to get out of the cat kingdom by noon tomorrow, or I'll never be human again. Baron had no intention of bringing me here, but you're crazy father thinks I'm magical and can give him immortality. We need to find his sister and get me the hell out of here!" Haru said finally going over the edge.

Shocked, they didn't respond right away. Finally Prince Lune cleared his throat and calmly said, "We will be leaving in the morning for the dog kingdom. If you'd like to join us tonight you are more than welcome. I can have Yuki escort you back to the portal into your world tomorrow while I bring Baron with me. I promise after that my father will have no power to bring you back to our world again and I'll make sure he understands that you don't have the power to grant him immortality. Where would he get that idea anyways?"

Haru closed her eyes, grabbed the brim of her nose, and sighed, "I don't know. Ask Baron. This is all just a bad nightmare to me."

"Come on Haru." Yuki said grabbing her arm. "I'll lead you to a tent you can stay in tonight."

"I'm going with you. I'm tired." Muta added yawning.

Yuki lead them to an empty tent with some blankets laid on the floor. It took Muta a total of three seconds to fall into a deep snoring sleep. Haru found herself unable to sleep both from the snoring and with worry. She hoped nothing went wrong the next day. She didn't want to be a cat. She was just starting to enjoy her human life. She wanted to go home and sit by a stream while thinking of different sculpture designs. As she fretted the night away she almost missed the stranger sneaking into her tent.

"Who's there?" She asked sitting up.

"It's just me." Baron said. "I thought you were asleep."

"Not with snoring beauty over there." She grumbled.

Baron chuckled quietly. "Yes, I can't imagine how anyone could find sleep next to him."

"Where have you been?" She asked.

"Just trying to figure out what is happening to my sisters mind and hoping she's still alive."

"I'm sure you're tired." Haru added. "Here, let me make room for you." She said moving over and lifting the blankets so that he could settle next to her. It was so dark that for a moment she imagined him in his human form. She wished he was in his human form. If he was and she was she would have no problem cuddling to him. She needed a cuddle or some sort of comfort in that moment, even if that cuddle was from that individual that got her into this mess. However he was not human. He was a cat and despite being a cat herself she just couldn't get over the taboo of being attracted to … a cat.

"So being that neither of us can sleep we should talk." He whispered.

"You don't think we'll wake up Muta?" Haru asked.

"umm… no. I don't think a train could wake him."

Haru giggled. "Alright, what do we talk about?"

"How about your life these last few years. What made you become an artist?" He asked.

"That's simple. My mom's a designer. It's in my genetics." She explained with a little pride in her tone.

"and your cousin is an author and her husband makes violins. Seems you're surrounded by artist." He paused before adding with a slight bitterness, "and you surround yourself with artist."

"Oh you're talking about my ex … Kazuki." She hissed his name with disgust. "That was a terrible mistake."

"Was he that bad?" Baron asked with a hint of a smile in his tone.

"No. I guess not. It was mostly me." She admitted sounding slightly flustered. "You see after I left the cat kingdom I was really focussed with my studies. One project in my art class involved us making a sculpture. I sculpted a girl climbing a staircase of ravens…" Baron started chuckling. She snickered herself. "Yes yes, I know. I evidently used some ideas from my prior experiences. Anyways, my art teacher was so impressed he showed the sculpture to this professor at the art institute. They offered me a full scholarship and … I took it. My cat sculpture inspired by Lune and Yoki was my second big break into the art world. That's when I met Kazuki. His father was the curator of the modern art museum. I thought Kazuki was handsome, but he was so… pretentious. I didn't really like him at first, but then he wanted to paint me. I guess I let flattery get to me. He was my first relationship and after he cheated on me he was my last."

"So… why would you say it was mostly you that was the problem with the relationship?" Baron asked with a yawn.

"I think I just have higher expectations. I guess I was read too many fairy tales as a kid or something. I couldn't adore him enough, but what we had didn't feel real. He was handsome enough, but when he flattered me it was like he expected me to flatter him back. I just feel that you should flatter those when they've done something truly special. If you do it all the time it doesn't mean that much. I couldn't give him flattery all the time, so… he found it elsewhere." Haru explained nervously.

"I think his expectations sounded too high Haru, not yours. You deserve to be swept off your feet and adored Haru and not for ulterior reasoning." Baron mumbled half asleep. "I would…." But then he fell asleep without finishing.

Haru felt her eyes grow large with wonder. What would Baron have finished that sentence with? Part of her was tempted to shake him awake, but then she heard his breath deepen and he was in a settled sleep. With a yawn she let her curiosity go. She turned her back facing away from him trying to imagine that she and he were once again human and laying next to each other like a couple. That image seemed to offer her peace and she found sleep.


	6. Chapter 6

The next morning Haru awoke to two female cats enter into the tent. They then crouched down next to Haru and stared at her as she opened her eyes. Upon realizing their faces weren't a dream, Haru jumped back from them, and blinked her eyes bewilderment. "What.. what is it?" She croaked out still not completely aware of the world around her. Deep down she still had hopes that it was all a dream, but it didn't seem to be as she was truly already awake.

"Hello Miss Haru. The princess sent us over with a change of clothing that you may find more comfortable." A tabby cat smiled.

"We also brought you breakfast!" The gray and white cat beamed.

"Oh please tell me it's nothing disgusting." Haru said more to herself then out loud.

"The Princess said you'd be worried, but we made sure it was something humans eat too though I'm not quite sure why that matters now. You are a cat." The tabby giggled. Haru stared at her unamused. She then cleared her throat and continued. "Here," She lifted the lid the reveal a little pie, "It's fish pie."

Haru let out a sigh of relief. "Thank you… for both." She then looked around seeing that she was alone. "Where did Muta and Baron go?"

"Oh, they're talking with the prince." Explained the tabby. "We'll leave you to it?"

"Yes. Umm… I'll be out soon." Haru smiled. After changing her clothes into a knee length cotton yellow dress and eating her breakfast she headed out to find Baron and Muta. She saw them in the distance talking to Lune and Yuki. As she ran towards them Baron gave her a funny sort of whiskered smile that showed he was both happy to see her, yet sad. She knew why. She'd be leaving and the chances of the two of them meeting again was slim. She laughed to herself thinking, 'That's my luck. The only male I have chemistry with is a magic cat statue that comes to life.' It all seemed foolish and she thought it was better that they just part ways soon, so that for one, she didn't turn into a cat permanently and second, so that it wouldn't become more difficult to leave.

"Haru. How are you this morning? Ready to go back home?" Baron asked with a slight give away to his gloom.

"Yes and we better leave soon. It's getting close to the cut off time." She said looking up at the sky.

"We're ready to leave whenever you are." Yuki smiled with four soldier standing behind her.

"Thank you." Haru smiled. "I guess I should say my goodbyes to everyone." She turned towards Muta first. "I hope you decide to come visit me once in awhile. Even if you don't want to talk just come by the antique store. I'm usually there every weekend."

"Alright kid." He smiled squeezing her to his fat fluffy cat body. He then pulled her back with a little sniffle and patted her head.

She then turned to Lune. "It was nice seeing you again your highness. Glad this time I didn't have to save you from on coming traffic." She giggled.

He grabbed her hand and with a smile said, "It was nice seeing you too. Safe journeys."

She then turned to Baron. She hesitated for a moment. Seeing her hesitation he pulled her to the side, so that they could talk a little more privately. She then asked, "Is this goodbye for us?"

"I'm afraid so. It's not the easiest task for me to come to your world. It's even more difficult to maintain a human form, but our paths seem to cross in many ways. I have faith we'll meet again Haru." His beautiful accent and soft voice almost made her forget he was a cat. As he brought her paw to his mouth and placed a kiss ever so gently on it she wished more than ever that they were both human.

Instead she smiled, bounced on her feet nervously and stuttered, "Ummm… heh, i..if that's the case I'll see you later." She then walked away from him joining Yuki and the guards. She took one last look back as his forced grin turn into a frown. Her stomach knotted and something just didn't feel right as she left. 'I'm losing it. I've got to get out of here,' She told herself and continued over the hills with Yuki and the soldiers.

They walked on a path that lead into the forest. It was eerily quiet. Again, something deep within Haru told her something was about the happen. She grabbed Yuki's arm and asked, "Is it just me or do you feel like… we're being watched?"

Yuki looked around sniffing the air, "Nothing smells…." She then cut off her words as she seemed to catch scent of something. She looked at the guards with a silent command and they too began sniffing the air. Then one of the soldiers eyes grew large and he pointed behind them. They all turned to see a group of dogs pointing arrows at them.

A large black hound approached from behind the line of other dogs and in a snarled voice said, "Get them."

Somewhere around 20 dogs then pounced on the six cats, tying their hands behind their backs and began dragging them away. Haru kicked and clawed, but it was no use as the three dogs stood her forcefully to her feet. She then cried out, "You don't understand. I'm not a cat! They were taking me back to the portal! I'm a human!"

"Ya right." Barked one of the dogs.

"It's true." Yuki tried to argue. "We were taking her back. You can take us, but let her go."

"No." Said the black hound. "It's obvious there are other reasons they don't want her captured."

"Oh really! What reasons are those?" Haru asked kicking around as the dog soldiers dragged her.

"Well find out. Oh well find out." Sinisterly chuckled one of the soldier dogs who looked more like a Hyena than a dog.

As they walked on for several hours and the sun went down Haru lost hope. She was now a cat forever and she'd never go back to the world she had no longer wanted to escape. Tears fell down her face and she dragged her feet as the soldier pulled her on. As they made it through the woods she could see a castle in the clearing. It was much like the cat kingdom castle with spiraling towers and surrounded by a moat, but there were some differences. The cat kingdom castle was gold as to where this one was onyx. Mountains surrounded the castle with little paths and mazes carved into them… or dug into them.

The soldier pulled them over the bridge and into the castle. Yuki and the soldiers trembled, while Haru, in a numb despair, was now being dragged by the soldiers. They pulled them into a silver room with cathedral like ceilings. Everything about the room was sharp and cold. Haru began feeling some fear as to what this king would look like as her eyes looked up. Stairs climbed to a mighty throne and sitting on a magnificent silver throne, of hard edges, was... a ...tiny little pug with a crown.

"No way." Haru said looking up and forgetting her despair briefly to crumble into a complete mirth.

"Haru. Shh!" Yuki warned.

"I'm sorry." She whispered back and looked down battling her grin.

"Why do you laugh at me cat? Is it because I'm," snort, "far superior," snort snort, "to you?" asked the pug king.

Haru some how kept back laughter and cleared her throat, "No your highness. I'm just … I'm not holding myself together very well. You see, I'm actually a human, and I was kidnapped by the…"

"Stop your lies! A simple yes or no will," Snort, "suffice." He then looked at them narrowing his bulging eyes the best he could. "Take them to the dungeons!"

"No! You need to listen to me right now. I do not belong here. I'm not a cat. I'm a human girl!" Haru yelled as they dragged her, Yuki and the four soldier cats off to the dungeons.

The dungeons were in the cave of the mountains. It was damp and smelly… like a wet dog and Haru wondered if it was worth it to even live. Part of her was tempted to shake loose from the dog guards and jump off the mountain. Yuki sensing this grabbed Haru's arm and shook her head. The dogs put the four cat soldiers in one cell together and then her and Yuki together in another. As soon as the cell door was closed Haru melted to the ground crying.

Yuki came up behind her, wrapping her arms around her, and tried to offer her words of comfort. "Lune, Baron and Muta will save us. I just know it."

"What does it matter? I can't be human anymore." Haru sniffled.

"Excuse me." Said a voice from behind them. Haru almost blocked it out, but the voice had a distinction in the accent that drew her attention. "Did you say Baron?"

Both her and Yuki turned around. A white cat with sparkling sapphire eyes and frosty white fur stepped forward. Yuki covered her mouth, "Is that...?"

"Princess Yuki? What are you doing here?" Asked a beautiful white cat with a tired sadness in her voice.

"Are you Abigail? Baron Humbert Von Gikkingen's sister?" Haru asked.

"Yes." Abigail giggled. "Although I just call him Bert. No need for the formality."

Yuki approached her carefully being that their last meeting wasn't the best. "We were captured in the woods."

"I see the fear in your eyes." Abigail observed. "I apologize for attacking you before your highness. You see …I wasn't myself. I was drugged."

"What?" Yuki gasped.

"It happened quite fast. I saw a cat communicating with a dog at the edge of the fields. I thought it was strange and went running back to the castle to report it. As I did I felt a dart strike me. I pulled it out, but by the time I got to the castle everything that came out of my mouth was nonsensical. Then all I could see around me were hallucinations." She let out an exasperated exhale. "By the time I came to I was in the dungeons and the castle was being attacked."

"I should have looked into thing a little more. It was very unlike you. I just thought you lost your mind." Yuki said grabbing Abigail's hand. "I'm truly sorry."

"Oh no. I do not blame you. I was a mess." Abigail grinned.

Haru studied the two cats. Though alike in color they looked very different in shape. Abigail's features were almost siamese structure wise, with fluffy white cheeks and the most dazzling blue eyes that almost seemed agua. She wondered what her human form would be like and then it sprung Baron to mind. "So… do you remember everything now? About your past and Baron." Haru asked.

"I do." Abigail admitted.

Haru smiled. If Abigail got to this world from the main world maybe she would have more of an idea on how to help her. She was Baron's other magical half. "So how did you end up here? How did you lose your memory?"

Abigail paced about trying the bring her memories to words. "Well it seems that we got separated many years ago. This isn't the first time this has happened, but this time was different. You see the first time was when our original creator had made me for his sister. He traveled to England and took Bert with him. I remained with his sister. She had children that were a little rough during play and broke off my tail. She sent me to be repaired by her brother in England. For years I remained there. His sister died before he could send me back to her in Germany, so I remained in England until my creator grew quite old. When he died we were sent back to Germany the sister's daughter. My tail again fell off during the journey back and the daughter didn't have much use for me. She sold us off to an antique's dealer. Though my tail was never repaired I remained on display with my brother until… we were again separated. After my tail was repaired I was kept by a German woman. During the war her house was destroyed as well as my statue form. My soul wandered until I came to the Cat Kingdom and I took on this form. I suppose when I took on this form I had to make an exchange of some sort and my memories vanished."

Haru stared at her wide eyed and blinking trying to take it all it. It all seemed very complex and as though Abigail wasn't quite sure how it all came about herself. Haru let out a huff of air and took a seat down on the cold damp stone floor. "Well let's hope that your brother and you can reunite once more. Then maybe we can come up with some miracle to make me human again."

"Human?" Abigail questioned.

"You both might as well take a seat. I imagine we're going to be here for awhile and … I'll fill you in with my side of the story. Most Yuki already knows, but I'll try to make it entertaining for sanity's sake."

Yuki and Abigail sat down on the ground next Haru as she began to tell them the story of how she first met Baron when the cat king decided to try to marry her off to his son. She told her about Muta, the cat bureau, finding Yuki in the cat kingdom, running through mazes, escaping cat soldier, reuniting Yuki and Lune, and finally making it home. She then told them of how many many years later she had put that all behind her again to be dragged into another adventure. At some point she found herself crying.

"And I'll never be human again!" She weeped.

"We'll find a way Haru." Yuki said wrapping her arm around her and licking her ear.

Haru jumped back still not completely use to the way conduct was in the cat world, but she patted Yuki's paw and shook her head no. "I think it's pretty hopeless now. If we ever get out of here maybe you can find me a place in the castle. A place where I never have to bump into the cat king."

"There may be a way." Abigail jumped in.

"What? Really?" Haru asked popping her head up from her paws that she was crying into.

Before Abigail could continue a great commotion was heard outside the dungeon. They heard a dog guard yelling, "Lower the gates!" Then the sound of marching was heard along with battle cries.

"What's going on?" Abigail questioned looking through the bars of their cell.

"I'm not sure." Haru said standing with her and looking out.

Yuki then joined them as a horn was sound outside the dungeon. A smile covered her face and she jumped with excitement. "It's Lune! He's come to save us!"


	7. Chapter 7

Baron had never had attraction to anyone. He may have been amused by women in the past, but never was he attracted to them and for whatever reason he never found himself attracted to cats either. He was simply a singular soul ready to help those in need and his own desires mattered not until he met Haru.

Years prior when he met her she had only been a teenage girl, but he found himself a little more than amused by her. Her look had always been somewhat simple at first glance, but he noticed a sparkle he'd never seen another girl. He wasn't sure if it was her curious almond shaped eyes, the little point of her nose or the slight pout of her long lips, but upon a second glance he could see she was truly beautiful. Now that she was no longer a gangly girl and was now a supple woman he found that he couldn't pull his eyes away from her.

He hated to admit it, but his heart sunk to his stomach when she had left that morning. He knew it was for the best. A relationship between the two would be next to impossible. The trade off for having a soul he wasn't born with meant that he had a certain duty to fulfill and that was remaining at the cat bureau helping those in need. He knew his focus now had to be on freeing his sister and after that it was back to his job.

Lune, Baron, Muta and the troops made their way towards the dog kingdom ready to free the stolen cats from the dungeons and defeat the dogs. They charged over the hill hoping to take them by surprise, but unfortunately the dog troops were lined up as though they anticipated the cats attack. "This doesn't seem right. They shouldn't have seen us coming." Muttered Lune. "Something happened."

Muta looked at Lune confused, "Is there any possibility that you have a spy amongst your soldiers?"

"No. No cat would make a deal with a dog and besides, no ones left the camp for weeks. No one except for this morning." He then paused as his eyes got large with fear. "Oh no! Yuki." He then gestured for the troops to follow shouting, "Charge!"

The cats went racing over the hills towards the dogs. They pulled out their swords and the battle of stealth against strength took place. It had hit Baron, as he swished his sword around, what Lune was fearing. No one had left the camp except for Yuki, Haru and the soldier. If they had been captured there was a possibility that the dogs beat the information out of one of them. With a new cause Baron sped up his pace flipping and jumping over dog after dog. He could see in the distance an entrance into the caves behind the castle. Taking his chances that it was the dungeon he made his way inside battling off five dogs as he entered.

He found the prison door keys on one of the dogs he battled and made his way through the dungeon. He unlocked the doors as he passed freeing cat after cat until he came to the back of the dungeon. Yuki is who he saw first clinging to the bars crying tears of joy as she saw him. "Baron!" She called.

"Bert!" Abigail called out seeing her brother for the first time in more than 60 years. Her eyes lit up and she stuck her paw through the bars. "You came!"

"You remember me?" He questioned.

"Yes. My memories have returned." She sniffled wiping the tears from her eyes.

"Hey Baron." Said a familiar melancholy voice. Haru stepped forwards grabbing the bars and leaning her head wearily on them.

"Haru?" Baron gasped in shock. This wasn't good. Not good at all, he thought.

"Ya, it's me." She sighed with a frown stretched across her face.

Before another word could be spoke between them a commotion was heard towards the entrance. "Are you in here Baron?" Muta called.

"Yes, back here!" Baron yelled back.

"Then get your ass up here and help me!" Growled Muta.

Baron quickly unlocked the prison door and let the three felines out. They all dashed to the front seeing Muta cornered by three large dogs. Baron leapt flipping in the air over them and next to Muta. Both cats then battled the dogs off and grabbing the girls hands ran out of the dungeons. Muta placed the pregnant tired Yuki on his back and Baron pulled both his sister and Haru along.

They saw Lune ahead and as Lune looked up a relief washed over his face seeing his wife safe on Muta's back. "Come on! We have to retreat!" He called.

The group of cats retreated over the hill and into the woods. They ran for many miles, with Muta complaining the whole way and finally made it to deep into the forest to a place of safety. They settled near a stream, sitting on large mossy stones, and catching their breaths while cat soliders checked the ground securing their safety. One her strength was regained Abigail threw her arms around Baron joyously celebrating their reunion.

"My little Abbie." Baron smiled pinching the end of her nose.

"Bert. It's been far too long." She sniffled. "I'm sorry to drag you through all this to find me. I would have found you. I just had to find myself first. You see I lost my memory after the war when my statue was destroyed and I'm not sure how it returned, but I'm glad it did. I'm glad you found me."

"I think I have a theory of how it returned." He smiled pulling his satchel forward and opening it to pull out an exact replica of her old cat statue.

She gasped taking hold of the statue to look it over. "It looks just like the old. The eyes…"

"Are slightly different." He finished for her. "Yes, but the artist didn't know the exact shading so she couldn't be blamed."

"You mean Haru." Abigail smiled and further explained seeing his surprise at her knowledge. "She explained everything to me. We were rather bored waiting around for our heros."

Baron turned his attentions towards Haru who sat with her head slumped forward in despair and stared down blankly at the ground. "Haru, I'm so sorry. I dragged you into this mess and now…"

"And now I'm a stupid cat!" She said bursting into tears. All the cats around her turned their attention bitterly towards her. "Sorry. Not that cats are stupid. Just me. I'm an idiot for allowing myself to be dragged into this mess."

"True." Muta teased sitting next to her and hugging her for comfort.

"Hey!" She rebuked elbowing him.

He chuckled, "Come on. Lighten up. It's not the worst thing in the world Haru. Beside you make a lovely cat."

"You really do." Baron agreed.

"I don't want to be a lovely cat! I want to be a plain awkward human!" She shouted standing to stomp.

Baron grabbed her hand and sat her back down next to him. "First of all we will find a way to get you back to your world. Secondly you've never been a plain awkward human."

She searched his eyes seeing his honesty and for a moment she was sure he'd kiss her as he slowly leaned closer to her. Instead he tucked a piece of her hair back up into her ponytail and the gentleness of his touch made her shudder. She gulped and quickly looked away thinking, 'This isn't right. My attraction to him is becoming carnal. He's a cat and I … I… oh damnit! I'm a cat. I don't want to be a cat…" This argument went on in her head for sometime distracting her from the tension now between her and Baron. Somewhere her mind segwayed into a memory of Abigail saying that she knew of a possible way to send her back. "Abigail! You said you knew of a way that might get me back to my world and make me human, right?"

Abigail nodded, but her eyes didn't look to assured. "Possibly. It's complicated."

"Please share dear sister." Baron asked turning his attentions now towards Abigail.

"Well… there's all sort of places of refuge in the world. There's also a place of refuge with in every being. I went to my own for awhile before coming to the cat kingdom. I'm not sure how I got there, but you have to truly need it. You have to see it in your mind and want it more than anything." She explained. "After that you should be able to take on any form you like and go to any world you like."

"I need to make that happen." Haru said trying to make this refuge appear, tensing her eyes and focussing them on the distance.

"It doesn't work that way Haru." Baron gently smiled patting her paw. "I know what you speak of Abigail, but I heard it's very hard to find this place within oneself. I haven't even been to my own refuge and I've been traveling worlds for years."

Abigail shrugged. "It's the only way I know of."

"I can do it. I can find this place." Haru said with determination.

"Well work on it tomorrow. I think we should all rest tonight and then we'll head back to the cat bureau. Toto will have that portal opened as instructed. I've got what I came for," Baron smiled turning to his sister, "and I don't take part in wars."

They all snuggled close to stay warm being that they couldn't start a fire. Baron found his sister to one side of him and Haru to the other. To his shock his sister had cuddled close to Muta on her other side. Baron was surprised not seeing any prior affectionate development, but with a snicker of amusement found that he was quite accepting of it. Muta over the years had become one of his closest friends and he certainly wouldn't mind him as a brother in law.

He then returned his attentions back to Haru who was sniffling. "Haru. Are you … crying?" He whispered.

"Yes." She admitted in a sob. She then felt Baron's arm wrap around her and pull her close. She froze and gasped startled at the sudden affection, but once pulled to his chest she found the warmth of his body very soothing. Closing her eyes she imagined him in his human form holding her this way, his strong arms around her, her hand resting on his firm chest and the fantasy became a dream as he ran his claws gently down her back. Slowly he lulled her to sleep and found slumber himself as she snuggled to his chest.

In the morning Haru woke to a commotion. She was shoved off Baron's chest as he quickly stood to his feet defensively. She then saw why as the camp was being circled by a group of dogs. Haru then quickly stood to her feet stepping back behind Baron for her own protection. She blinked her groggy eyes and clung to Baron's back.

"Muta! Grab Abbie and Haru. Take them to the cat bureau portal." Baron shouted to Muta.

"What about you?" Muta asked.

"I'll be fine." Baron called.

"Go without me." Haru shouted to Muta. "You'll be faster carrying Abbie. I'll stick with Baron."

"No kid. Come on." Muta shouted pulling Abbie on his back.

"Go Haru!" Baron shouted.

"No! I'm staying with you." She demanded as he fought off a dog from biting her.

"Oh you're so stubborn." He growled.

"Yes. I am." She agreed yelping and jumping away as another dog snapped at her.

"Fine. We're taking off." Muta called as he ran off with Abigail.

After fighting off a few more dogs to clear a path Baron wrapped his arm around Haru's waist and jumped her up on a tree branch. Now looking down she could see the cats were getting the upper hand and it gave her a little relief. She felt like a coward leaving Yuki and Lune to battle off the dogs, but as Yuki smiled and waved them off she found acceptance. She thought they were in the clear until she looked below seeing a group of dogs following them.

"Oh god!" She cried out clinging to Baron as the dogs snapped away below them. Fear filled her as they struggled to find a way out. The next tree was too far to jump to, but it looked like Baron was going to chance it. As he jumped towards the next tree he fell just short of grabbing onto it's limb. They began to fall and Haru squeezed her eyes close wishing more than anything she was back in her world. She expected to hit the ground and opened her eyes to see why they hadn't. She found that they were falling through a dark hole.

"Are we going through the cat bureau portal?" Haru asked unable to see Baron's face in the blackness of their surroundings, but feeling him holding her tightly.

"No. We would have arrived there by now and we're moving very slowly." Baron observed in a hushed voice.

Then below them they could see the other end of the hole with a strange gray light peaking through. Haru crossed her fingers hoping it wasn't a portal straight back into the cat kingdom. Their decent rapidly increased and Haru found herself screaming and climbing up Baron as they went crashing down to a solid ground.


	8. Chapter 8

She opened her eyes and she found herself in a world of black and white staring into a black forest. It was just like the painting of herself done by her ex, but now she was actually standing in front of it. She looked down to see, that just like the painting, she was naked. "Ahhh!" She shrieked covering herself and looking around. She saw the Baron rubbing his head from the fall and grumbling till he looked up to see a naked Haru, covering herself with her hands, and a look of horror on her face.

He quickly stood, handed her his coat, and despite his gentlemanly ways took a quick glance at her lithe yet curvy figure. She put the coat on quickly and was relieved to see it fit her like a knee length dress on her short stature. "Thank you." She whispered blushing. She then got a good look at him. He wasn't in cat form anymore, but that of Bert looking dashing as ever, his strawberry blond hair truly standing out against the black and white background.

Baron then began looking around as confused as she was. He then turned to her with a smirk recognizing the worlds as the painting at the gallery. "You do recognize this world don't you Haru?"

"Ya, it's the painting." She said sticking her hands in the coat pockets and whirling around.

"It's your world." He explained touching his face and realizing he had changed. "and it seems that you prefer me in my human form."

She looked him up and down before returning her eyes back to the black woods. "Can you blame me?" She asked with a mischievous tone.

He gave a little chuckle and stood next to her. "I suppose it's natural for you to be attracted to my human form being that you are indeed human right now."

"Am I?" She gasped excitedly feeling her face. She then sighed with relief. "Best news ever." She then tilted her head and turned to him, "So… how did we end up here?"

He shrugged, "I'm not completely sure Haru. The last thing I remember is a group of dogs snapping at us as we fell and then this portal appeared. We jumped in it and … here we are." He then studied her with those sharp eyes that made her feel both flutters of nerves and an ache of her heart. He looked at her like he was seeing her for the first time. "I think I've underestimated your powers."

"You mean… I brought us here?" She asked in a meek voice.

"Well I certainly didn't."

"So… I don't understand. How is this my world?" She questioned feeling it was more so her ex-boyfriends world.

"As Abigail explained every soul has it's own refuge. This bleak world is yours." He said looking around unimpressed.

"Bleak? This is straight up depressing." She scoffed looking around for an ounce of color.

"It seems you've been disregarding yourself for sometime now Haru. You've made your world out of anothers interpretation of what they see in you." He explained.

"Well if this is my world, then I can change that, right?"

"You have the power to make it whatever you'd like." He told her with a twinkle in his emerald eyes.

"I've never been big on the crudeness of this painting. I always wanted to add leaves to these trees and…" She stood back studying them like an artist, "Not just any leaves." She pulled up her hand holding it like she was holding an imaginary paint brush and swiped it over the tips of the tree branches. Quickly the black bare branches filled with pinks leaves and with a giddy smile she continued to the next. The next tree she painted with blue leaves and once done with that she moved to the next giving it orange leaves. She continued till the forest was filled with that of every rainbow color of leaves.

"That is much better." The Baron smiled.

Haru didn't seem to hear him and went running to an open gray field next to the forest. She then began running her invisible brush upward from the gray grasses and little red poppies sprung up. Then she looked up at the white sky and started painting birds of every jeweled color she could think of. She ran up a hill forgetting Baron trailing behind her and felt herself getting lost in this world like one who might believe it was all a pleasant dream.

As she looked down the hill at the charcoal fields below an idea sprung to mind and she began coloring silhouettes of horses in shades more vibrant than a woven tapestry. Then she painted a pond in the distance to shimmer like a prism. She found herself growing lost in a meditative state that usually only took her when she was working on a sculpture, but she had never found this when she painted in the past. At university the professors always told her she lacked ability when it came to working with flat surfaces, so she always assumed she was a sculptor. Now, looking around impressed, she felt her sculptures had nothing on her painting.

"Haru." The Baron called trying to wake her from her frenzy.

"Yes." She asked turning to him with an excited face.

"You're getting lost in your own world. You need to step back for a moment." He said grabbing her shoulders.

"What if I just painted a little fence over here with golds and greens…"

"Haru." He again said leaning down to bring his face to hers. Looking into his eyes, which seemed more vivid than anything around, made her wake from her self induced spell. "If you let yourself go here you'll never be able to leave." He explained.

It was strange, but he was right. Though she realized it wasn't realistic, in that moment she felt she never wanted to leave. She wanted to be here with Baron forever. She felt herself again being pulled by all her fantasies as her refuge dosed them out to her. She wanted to feel his lips on hers and his long arms pulling her into him. She'd been waiting for him to be human this whole time, so that she could want him without feeling disgusted with herself and now here he was. His face was so close she could feel the warmth of his breath and she found him searching her eyes with the same want. The kiss happened so fast she wasn't sure if it was him or her that finally closed in the gap. As though he read her mind the kiss deepened as he placed his arms around her waist and pulled her up to his height. Her world and fantasies were now mixing with his own in a dangerous way.

She wrapped her arms around his neck as he pulled her up to him and she let her tongue slip past his lips. She felt his moan against her lips and soon felt his hands traveling to the bottom of the coat that was now barely covering her lower half. She felt his hands graze over her bare bottom and then his hands inclosed just below her cheeks. Quickly he pulled her up by her thighs and wrapped her legs around him. She gasped as she felt her exposed center rub against his hard arousal bound back by his pants.

As he kissed up and down her neck she felt his hands go to the back of her hair. Gently his fingers grabbed the band holding her hair up in a knotted bun and she felt her silken tresses fall around her. He pulled back taking in her beauty. "I would have never guessed your hair was so long and soft." He said running his hands down the chocolate strands that came to the center of her back. She rolled her eyes as the sensation of his caresses began to pull her further into desire.

It had been so long since she felt the pleasures of a man that she found herself not only lost by the powers intensified by her world, but also that of her own needs which were now hammering through her center. The Baron lowered her to the ground and surveyed her with such thrilled intensity she found herself unable to breath. He hadn't even touched her between her legs yet she felt herself growing extremely wet. He must have noticed because he began removing his pants quickly, followed by his shirt.

Her eyes greedily took in his body. His human form put most mens bodies to shame. He had long limber arms attached to broad shoulders. His chest muscles were perfectly apparent and then there was that torso that just kept going. Her hands seemed to be thinking for her as they ran from his firm chest and moved down his torso, and over the planes of his muscular center. Still in a daring trance she found her hands moving lower, down his hips, caressing her fingertips through golden curls and running her palms down his significant manhood.

She was soon stopped from her exploration as she felt his frantic hands grab at his coat she was wearing and pulled it apart popping the buttons. He pulled her up just long enough to remove the jacket from her and then looked down at her with crazed eyes. "You have no idea how long I've wanted you." He panted. How she stood out in the world she'd painted every possible color he didn't know, but she did. Her features only seemed to stand out more as her cheeks glowed red and as she lay there naked he found that her natural state was where she shined most of all. Nothing seemed too small and nothing seemed too big in her proportions. Everything moved in a smooth curving lines. She was an easy subject for any artist, yet he knew no one could cover that sparkle that she had.

Her lust drunk eyes searched his own. "I want this too. I think I've wanted it a long time." She admitted panting and playing with his short strawberry blonde mop.

With one last look in her eager eyes Baron leaned down capturing her lips and let his hands explore her body. She cried out as his hands groped her breast and his lips trailed down soon meeting his hands. He then licked and suckled each breast with such hectic lashes that she found her body arching into his. His lips continued to ravage her breast and stomach as his hands snatched up her flesh moving down. Then the caresses became gentle as he pushed apart her legs. She felt one of his fingers slide down her slit and pushed her apart. She cried out feeling him slowly and agonizingly push his long finger inside her.

He looked up at her with an arched brow, "My Haru, I think you have wanted this for a long time. You're so… ready for me."

"Yes, and... I can't take it anymore, so can you just… please." She begged half coherently.

He nodded his head crawling back on top of her and situating himself between her legs. Resting on one elbow and his other hand below he slowly guided himself in her. She groaned as he pushed his way in her finding it did take a little effort despite her previous experiences. She wasn't sure if it was because of his size or if it was because she hadn't been with a man in so long, but she felt stretched to full capacity. He must have noticed because as soon as he finally found himself fully in her he paused for a moment looking down at her for approval to continue. She nodded her head and he slowly pulled back out to push back in.

Bliss, she thought, this was bliss. She'd never felt love making quite like this. She didn't know if it was because it was tainted from being in a world that was her own, or if it was because of the magical qualities that Baron possessed. As her hips leaned up into him his slow movements grew into harder long thrust and his hands continued to travel up and down her body in reverence.

He wanted her all too much and it was evident that she felt the same as he felt her body calling to him. His mind was going dangerous places as he watched her wither under him, her hair was now splayed out around her, her breast heaved with each breath, her body pulsing around him, her thighs clenched as he deepened into her with more rapid movements, but as much as his body wanted to meet that glorious end he found himself maintaining their sweet torture and he wanted more.

He then growled pulling out of her and her eyes went large as he turned her over to her hands and knees. She looked over her shoulders with her mouth open in shock, but her eyes still half lidded and lust drunk. He didn't know if it was the cat in him that drove him to wanting her this way, but he couldn't overcome the temptation. He again found her wet entrance and drove himself in her. She cried out and found herself clinging to the ground completely overwhelmed by the sudden intrusion. This most definitely wasn't like any love making she'd experienced before.

She felt his hands sliding up her stomach and to her breast. He then pulled her up bringing her back to his chest while he continued thrusting in her. The pants of her lips were soon interrupted by his own lips as he pulled her chin to the side to meet his mouth and leaned over her. She was lost in the kiss until she felt his finger drift down from her breast, gently over her stomach and in between her legs. His fingers then began massaging the part of her that had been pulsing yet remained untouched until then. She moaned into his mouth as his tongue met hers. Though he still kissed her she could feel a devious smile form on his lips.

His lips finally gave up their struggle to silence her as he moved into his own groans and growls. He gave her a deep thrust and moaned her name in her ear with such admiration and heat that she found herself lost. Her body felt heavy and all that she was holding onto, all that was tense, let go and shattered her mind with more colors than the world she had created. Somewhere, past the climax she was feeling, she heard Baron cry out as he roughly thrusted in her with slow precision and then they both fell to the ground.

Neither spoke for a long time. They simply laid there trying to understand exactly all that they had experienced. Everything seemed so perfect in that moment, yet it didn't matter. Nothing mattered, but the feelings that still circled around them. Finally Baron crawled closer to Haru and gathered her in his arms. He remained silent as he brushed her hair out of her face.

She looked up at him with a mixture of adheration and sadness. She knew all good things eventually came to an end and as much as she feared the answer she continued to ask, "Can we stay here forever, just like this?"

He shook his head no, "We can't survive forever in your world Haru. It's a place of refuge, but that is all. You still have to function elsewhere. If we could I'd stay here with you exactly like this until I died. I … I love you Haru."

She curled into him kissing his jaw line, his neck and his shoulders. "I love you too. I think I always have."

"What are we going to do?" He questioned more to himself then out loud.

"Can I remain with you at the cat bureau?" She questioned running her hands over his chest.

"No, it would be no different than me trying to stay with you here." He mumbled, a frown stretching across his face.

"What about back in Japan?"

He shook his head, "I'm afraid it takes most of my energy to remain just a few hours in your living world."

"The cat kingdom?"

He chuckled, "Do you want to remain a cat forever?"

"No." She admitted with a giggle. "Never again."

"I suppose we're not very popular there right now anyways." He sighed. "I'll find a place for us to remain together. I'll search forever if I have to. I can't live without you." With that he kissed her and helped her to her feet. He placed his coat around her and with a sigh of frustration said, "We have get out of here soon Haru. If we stay here too long we'll forget who we are like my sister did."

Haru nodded, "So… how do we get out of here?"

"Being that it's your world I image you could paint us a portal to the cat bureau my love." He smiled holding her to his side.

Reluctantly she held up her arm and before painting a circle she asked, "I'm not going to turn back into a cat if I leave here am I?"

"No you'll remain as you are." He chuckled kissing her cheek.

"and you?" She questioned with sad eyes.

"I'll go back to my natural form." He said sadly.

Haru pouted her bottom lips and with hesitant hands drew a black circle. It came to life and Baron pulled her in for a kiss as they jumped into it. It pulled them up like a vacuum and in the darkness Baron felt tears fall from Haru's face to his as his face slowly change back into that of a cat.


	9. Chapter 9

Haru slowly opened her eyes feeling the steady ground once again below her feet. She looked in front of her not seeing the tall dashing man she'd just spent the best moments of her life with and with a melancholy exhale she looked down seeing Baron looking up at her with sad eyes in his cat form. Seeing Haru's eyes filling with further tears he put his chin out trying to find strength for both of them and held out his hand to her.

"I know this is not what you want. It's not what I want either. What we experienced together... I'll never forget. I'll always love you Haru, but I understand if you need to put it all in the past. We don't have to talk about it and I don't expect your love back." He explained gently what she could not.

"I could never forget it either." She whispered taking his hand. "I want to be with you, but I don't think we could be intimate with me like this and you ... like that." Her words struggled to come out as she tried to explain herself. She didn't want to hurt him, but it couldn't be helped. They both knew there was no reason to hide from the truth. As much as she loved him it would never work. "I hate that it's this way, but it's just… It goes against … I can't be with a cat because…" She hated herself as she heard the words come out. She felt it shouldn't have mattered. She loved him and that should have been enough.

Baron patted her hand with his paw. "No need to explain. Let's just remember what we had and move on. We need to get you back to your world." He said in dismay. "Would you come in and at least have one cup of tea with us before you leave?"

"I'd love to." Haru said smiling as she wiped away her tears.

As they approached Toto flew above them landing on top of the fountain. Baron forced a smile on his face and greeted his friend. "Toto, so glad to see you. Did Muta and Abigail arrive safely?"

"I suppose." Toto said. "They've been rather strange since returning. Weird noises have been coming from your home. I think they may be fighting." Then they heard Abigail growl from within the house.

Baron's brow lifted confused. "They seemed to be getting along just fine when we parted ways. We better go in and break up the fight."

Baron and Haru rushed in hearing the growling noise up the stairs. Being that Haru barely fit in the house Baron instructed her to take a seat. He then ran up the stairs. Haru waited curiously, but then jumped when she heard a cat shrieking. Baron ran down the stairs looking appalled and sat down across from Haru hunched over with his paw to his head for support.

"Uhh… what happened?" Haru finally asked after a long moment of silence.

"You don't want …." He couldn't even finish the sentence. Instead he just shook his head in disgust.

"Are they okay? Is anyone hurt?" Haru further questioned rather concerned to what Baron had witnessed.

"Everyone's fine." He huffed. "I just caught them in a compromising position."

"Woah. What?" Haru laughed. "You mean they were…"

"Yes." Baron seethed.

She then heard footsteps coming down the stairs. She turned to see Muta with a goofy grin and Abigail looking quite bashful. Haru blushed for them and smirked amused. Muta took a seat next to Baron looking quite proud of himself and Abigail took a seat next to Haru.

"So …" Haru said ready to point out the elephant in the room, "You two are an item now?"

"Uhh…. I'll let Abbie answer that." Muta smiled.

"Abbie! You can't call her Abbie. That's what I call her." Baron grumbled.

"He can too." Abigail scolded. "and yes, we're an item." She then looked at Muta with a smile.

"What would make you attracted to that marshmallow?" Toto asked swooping into the house.

"Birds still on the menu." Muta warned.

"Be nice Muta." Abigail giggled. "and yes, I like my men big, fluffy and fearless just like my Muta."

Baron rolled his eyes. "So I'm assuming Muta won't be returning back to the human world anytime soon."

"Wasn't in my plans." Muta yawned placing his feet up on the coffee table and his paws behind his head making himself relaxed.

"Wonderful." Baron mumbled sarcastically as he got up to prepare the tea. After a moment he returned with four cups of tea and one cup of milk for Muta. After handing them out he took a seat and sipped away peeking up at Haru.

Abigail taking notice finally questioned, "So what happened to both of you? How did you get back here?"

Both parties hesitated and it was apparent they were hiding something as they looked at one another for an explanation. Baron jumped in seeing Haru turning red. "Haru found her refuge. Well we fell into it when we were being chased by dogs."

"How did you do it?" Muta asked.

"Well we were getting ready to fall to our deaths, so I panicked and then I just imagined it. To be honest I don't know for sure how it happened. It just did." She confessed. "I guess I just felt it and it felt like when I imagined my sculptures before seeing them."

"It must have taken awhile to figure out how to get out of there. You guys were gone for like two days." Muta told them.

"Two days?" Baron restated for clarification.

"Yes." Abigail confirmed. "We were growing quite worried."

"Obviously not that worried." Baron frowned.

"I know it doesn't seem that way, but we were about to return to the cat kingdom to search for you. I'm glad that didn't have to happen." Abigail admitted.

Before another word could be spoken Toto squawked lifting his head from his cup of tea. Everyone jumped looking at him. He seemed panicked as he bounced about opening his wings. "I sense something approaching the cat bureau. I'll be back." He then flew swiftly out of the house disappearing into the sky. Moments later he returned flying back rushed. "You've got to get Haru out of here! It's The Cat King!"

"He just won't give up will he?" Muta growled.

"Come on Haru. We've got to get you back to your world." Baron said helping her to her feet.

"But… I'm not ready to leave." She pleaded trying to sit back down, but Baron pulled her right back up. He was surprisingly strong in his little cat like state. "I'll just tell him to leave me alone." Haru said still trying to convince him as he pulled her.

"No. He'll just send his entire cat population to drag you there against your will. We've got to get you back now!" Baron panicked pushing her out the door.

"He'll just follow me there too! At least here I have you guys. In my world I'm defenseless." She insisted dragging her feet.

"She has a point Baron." Muta said now helping Baron drag her out.

"Then I'll close the portal." Baron grunted now pulling Haru as she tried to run back in the house. He then looked over at Muta. "So make a decision Muta. Are you going to stay here or go back?"

"I'm staying." He said looking over his shoulder at Abigail with a wink.

"I'm staying too!" Haru demanded. "I'm not ready to leave you Baron! Don't make me!"

Everyone froze and both Muta and Abigail stared at her shocked. "Are you in love with my brother?" Abigail asked.

"Yes." Haru said breaking down into tears.

"I love you too Haru which is why I have to send you back." He said whistling to Toto. Toto swooped down lifting Haru off the ground. "Take her!" Baron shouted.

"No!" Haru said trying to wiggle free from Toto's grasp on her.

"Sorry kid." Toto said in a struggled voice as Haru fought him. He then lifted her to the sky and she felt herself being pulled in by the vortex. She then saw another portal opening and cat after cat rushed into the world of the cat bureau.

"I'll find you again! I promise." She heard Baron call to her as Toto let go of her and she was pulled into the portal.

"Baron!" She screamed as everything went rushing around her and dark. She was thrown back into her world so quickly it took her a long moment to realize she was no longer being pulled through.

When she finally opened her eyes she found herself on the stairs of the gallery. She had scraped knees and she was panting from the shock of being thrown back so quickly into her world. She looked around seeing the busy streets of Tokyo and the harshness of the reality hit her. "Are you alright?" A woman asked passing her. Haru didn't reply. She simply covered her face with her hands and wept into the concrete below her.


	10. Chapter 10

"Are you doing alright?" Haru's mother asked handing her a cup of tea.

"Ya." Haru smiled looking over some photos on the sofa.

"I'm glad to see you out of your room. Do you want to talk about it now?" Her mother asked.

"No. Not yet." Haru mumbled.

"Alright. I'll be in the kitchen cooking. After Lunch I've got to leave to meet with some clients, but I'll be here until then, so … if you want to talk…"

"I'm good mom." Haru interrupted. "Thanks."

With that her mother gave her an empathetic smile and walked out of the room. Haru started organizing her photo's into groups of ones she'd consider turning into art. Her new take on art was all she could focus on since returning from the hospital. It took her nearly a year to even get this far and she still felt numb all over.

After being harshly thrown into her world she found she couldn't leave the stairs of the gallery. She just cried and wailed into the concrete below her feeling utter despair The woman that had found her, naturally being worried, called an ambulance. Haru was brought to the hospital where she cried into the night. The next day the hospital finally identified her and called her mother. Haru's mother came to the hospital and told her she'd been missing for two days. She asked her daughter where she'd been, but Haru just stared out the window silently.

For a week she remained this way at the hospital. The doctors not finding anything physically wrong with her decided it would be best if she returned home in hopes that a familiar setting would wake her from her silent mental trauma. Upon returning home Haru locked herself in her room and spent the next few months in there with the curtains drawn and listening to radiohead while staring at the ceiling. Haru's mother had to force a meal into her everyday and upon getting sick of Haru's behavior had her checked into a mental hospital.

Haru was heavily medicated until her numbness was no longer from her own depression, but was now forming from her medication. She'd spend countless hours in therapy silently staring off while the psychologist asked her question after question. She was ready to give up when another patient with multiple personality disorder, Kaito, took on his motherly female persona and asked her, "Don't you have a reason to live or someone to live for?"

That question hadn't passed her thoughts since returning. All she could think of was knowing she'd never have love like she did, feeling as though she'd never truly be happy again, wondering if the Baron was alright and feeling as though the only way around her depression was to not exist. Then her thoughts went other directions like, was any of it real, wondering if she was crazy and wondering if her mind sent her into hallucinations at random times, but nothing ever positive had crossed her mind since returning. She thought over that question for days. What was she living for? She decided it was hope. If the Baron did find someway of returnings he wouldn't want her like this. He'd want the Haru he fallen in love with, so from that revelation she finally broke loose from the wall she'd built around herself.

She didn't tell anyone of her experience. She instead just told everyone that she'd got out of a really bad break up and it just sent her over the edge. The psychologist bought it and started introducing her to different therapies. She briefly broke down when they placed play-do in front of her in art therapy. The following day the psychologist then tried her with painting, but found she responded to that even worse. Finally they decided to take her out for an outing of photography. This was an artform Haru never really wanted to explore before being that her best friend was more of the photographer and she the sculpture, but she decided to give it a try being that it was one of the few art forms left that didn't send her into a fit of tears.

To her shock she wasn't half bad at photography. Responding well to this as well as her other therapies she was released from the mental hospital and her mother brought her home. At first all she wanted to do was leave the house to take pictures and then stare at them for hours, but upon looking at a black and white photo she'd taken of a homeless man eating a cupcake an idea came to her. She quickly made her way to her cousin's house and asked if she could use the studio to sculpt in. Her cousin more than eager to help Haru in her recovery effort opened the studio and let Haru get to work.

Haru then went to visit her photographer friend Hiromi where she asked her to enlarge the picture of the man and put it on a canvas. Hiromi looked at the photo with a questionable stare, but decided against asking Haru why this photo knowing that her friend was healing from a nervous breakdown. After the photo was enlarged Haru then took her sculpture of the cupcake and placed it over the actual cupcake giving the picture a 3D effect. She left the picture itself black and white, but painted the cupcake in the brightest neon colors she had. Then end result had everyone impressed and Haru began taking some of her other photos doing the same.

The common theme of the black and white photos was situations many would find sad or bleak and highlight the beauty hidden within. One was of a cancer patient who was smiling and crying at the same time due to the fact that she'd received a bouquet of flowers that had been ordered by a fellow cancer patient moments before they died. Haru sculpted the flowers in the bright colors and took fluorescent fabric to form some of the petals. Another was of a little boy with a prosthetic leg laughing away at the park as he rode a bike. She sculpted a bright red bike and painted the balloon his mother held for him in bright green. Another was of a beautiful girl on a rainy day laughing as her umbrella was pulled away from her by the wind. Haru made an umbrella sculpture that was segmented into a rainbow of colors and popped out from the photo.

Eventually she had a collection of seven pieces of art and upon showing them to one of her past art teachers they contacted the curator of the art gallery. More than impressed he offered her an exhibit which she gladly accepted. He gave her 6 months to get a few more additional works together and then there would be an art exhibit opening at the gallery.

She had struggled to find inspiration over the next few months following the offer. She had created two more photos, but was stuck making decisions on a third. Now sitting on the couch and looking over a pictures of a collapsing abandoned house with stained glass windows she found herself wondering how she'd replicated the windows and what colors she'd use. Her mother then turned up her radio playing a song that Haru had heard before, but the words pulled at her soul and memories like never before. Her heart sunk to her stomach as memory after memory flooded back to her of her refuge and her time with Baron.

"Mom, what… what song is this?" Haru asked.

Her mother stopped her humming to answer. "Oh. It's Donovan. Catch the wind. You're father and I saw him live when we were in college. This one was always my favorite." She then peaked her head around the corner looking at Haru whose eyes stared off widely. "Ummm...Haru … are you okay?"

Haru's eyes filled with tears and she felt frozen. "Umm… ya. It just brought back my memories of … I uhh… I got to go. I just got an idea and…" Haru stood from the table grabbing her jacket and camera. She quickly made her way out of the house and got on her scooter riding it out to the countryside. She rode around looking for a forest on the edge of a field and eventual found the scene. She then took her camera out and began snapping away. After taking a handful of pictures she quickly made her way to Hiromi's studio.

She found Hiromi working away on some of the other photos Haru had paid her to develop and have transferred to a canvas. "Hey shut the door! You're going to ruin all these." Hiromi yelled.

"Sorry, sorry." Haru said quickly closing the door to the darkroom. "I have one more."

"It's going to cost extra." Hiromi smirked.

"That's fine. It's the most important one. So please, just this last one." Haru pleaded.

"I was only kidding." Hiromi said turning to look at Haru with an inquisitive brow. "So what's this important picture of."

"A field." Haru explained.

"A field?"

"Ya. I'll explain later. I've got to get to the studio and get to work like now before all this leaves me." She said giving Hiromi the camera.

"Ummm… okay? Come by tomorrow?"

"Ya." Haru agreed reaching for the door knob.

"Hey," Hiromi called as Haru closed the door, "What size canvas?"

"The biggest longest one you got. I'll pay you extra. I promise." Haru yelled through the door. She then left getting back on her scooter and making her way to her cousin's studio. She spent the remainder of the evening sculpting away with wire, paper and clay. Over the next couple of months leading up to the exhibit her main focus was on this sculpture and photo. She felt bad not putting as much attention towards the abandoned house photo, but she found herself obsessively working on the art piece of her refuge.

The week before the exhibit the curator gave Haru the key's the gallery and she dragged all her sculptures in with the help of her mother, Hiromi, Shizuku, and Seiji. She'd attended other exhibits in the past in this same part of the gallery. One was her ex-boyfriends exhibit, but she never thought she'd get a chance like this. The last photo and sculpture they set up was that of Haru's refuge. It had turned out just how she had hope she thought to herself as she stood back happily from it, but then her family stood beside her with their mouths opened looking both awe struck and horrified.

"That girl looks just like you." Her mother gulped looking at the structure.

"It is me." Haru told her.

"It's naked." Her cousin Shizuku clarified her mother's concern.

"Hmm.. ya." Haru shrugged.

"Umm… I'll just be waiting in the truck." Sieji said awkwardly knowing he should stop gawking at his wife's cousin's naked sculpture.

"I'll head out with you." Shizuku nervously chuckled.

After they left it was now down to Hiromi, Haru's mother, and Haru. Hiromi decided to question Haru about the other sculpture. "So… that one is you. Who's this guy holding your hand?"

"Someone I once knew." Haru mumbled staring off at her life sized version of Bert that she had created.

"and how did you know him because he doesn't look like he's from Japan." Her mother pointed out.

Haru choked back the tears she felt forming and after a long pause she cleared her throat. "He was someone I met by chance years ago and then I met him again just recently. He hired me to make a sculpture for him. We … fell in love, but then we separated ways. I needed to be here and he couldn't leave his world."

"His world?" Hiromi questioned.

"I mean ...umm… his country. He had to go back to his country." She lied and shook her head waking herself from her daze.

"Is he why you had your break down?" Her mother asked in an impatient tone as she glared at the sculpture of the man.

Haru just stared at her with an exhausted expression. "I really don't want to talk about it mom. In fact I just need a little space right now. I've got to finish setting this up."

Haru's mother rolled her eyes and frustratedly walked away while Hiromi hugged Haru goodbye waiting for her mother to leave. Hiromi then pulled away and searched Haru's eyes, "So … that's one good looking man."

"Ya, he was." Haru giggled.

Hiromi bit her lip before asking, "Did you guys…"

"I'm not telling you." Haru blushed.

"Ha! You did!" Hiromi gasped.

"I'm not talking about it." Haru said narrowing her eyes and crossing her arms.

"Fine. Well, I'll see you in a week then?" Hiromi asked turning to leave.

"Yes and Hiromi thank you so much for all your help!" Haru called to her.

"You paid me for it, so it was my pleasure." Hiromi yelled back as she left.

After Haru found herself completely alone and turned her attentions back to her art. The photo was on a giant stretch of canvas. It was of a black forest surrounding a gray field. The forest leaves were in rainbow shades just like they were in her refuge and springing up from the bleak fields were red poppies she had painted in. Running through the field were horses she'd cut out of various patterned fabrics. In the distance was a pond formed out of a plastic prism like material she had found and in the sky were sculptures of various birds of bright colors. Standing in front of the photo was the naked replica of her and Baron in sculpture form holding hands like an Adam and Eve before the garden of eden.

She walked around the sculpture of Baron running her hands over the curves of his muscular form she'd created with her own hands and her memory. She then ran her hands up the neck and to the chin. She stared into the vivid green eyes she'd painted on him and ran her thumb delicately over the long lips. The structure being true to his height she found herself lifting on her toes as she placed a gentle kiss on the lips of the statue.

"I wish you were real. I'll never love another man like I loved you Baron." She whispered pulling away. With that she began making her way out of the gallery. She turned off the lights, locked the door and with a hesitant feeling she forced herself to walk away.


	11. Chapter 11

The day of her exhibit came and Haru paced around her new apartment room shaking her hands trying to calm her nerves. Her mother had been traveling back and forth for her fashion business and home just didn't feel like home anymore. She needed a place to call her own, so she took a small apartment near the exhibit in order to finish some last minute details to her art. As much as she loved having her own space, which could barely be called space, she found herself wishing she was back home in her old room hiding in her bed in order to avoid exhibit.

She bit into her bottom lips and took deep breaths in and out of her nose as her friend Hiromi stared at her unsure of what to do during Haru's anxiety attack due to the fact she had no choice, but to stay seated on Haru's bed due to the size of the room and due to the fact that Haru seemed to forget that her friend was even in the room. Haru then bent down wrapping her arms around her legs and began exhaling out of her mouth and chanting, "I can do this, I can do this."

"It's not a big deal. You just have to show up looking pretty and give a short thank you speech. After that it's up to you if you want to talk to anyone." Hiromi tried to persuade.

"Ya. This is true. I can do that right?" Haru said standing up in her bra and underwear to again look in her closet for a dress to wear. Hiromi rolled her eyes as Haru stared indecisively at her options.

"That one." Hiromi said pointing to a dress that Haru had never worn due to the way it fit.

"But it's so classy looking." Haru said scrunching her nose. "and a little too tight."

"No. It's so … sexy artist." Hiromi said pulling out the black lace dress. It was tight moving down the waist, but began flaring at the hip and cut off above the knee. The long sleeves were sheer lace, but it was the collar that had Haru hesitating. She remember she had bought it online and once she tried it on she found the exposure to be a little overboard. Her intentions were always to return it, but her intentions and actuality were two different things.

"Fine, but I think I should wear a tank top or something under it." Haru said looking in her closet for a black tank top.

"No! You'll wear it as is." Hiromi said shoving it over her friends head.

"Hey!" Haru said struggling against her.

"There." Hiromi panted finally getting it over Haru's body and turned her to zip it. "See! You're beautiful."

"But everyone will see this." Haru seethed pointing to her cleavage.

"Yes, everyone will see you're a girl. So what? Own it." Hiromi smiled sitting Haru down and began applying makeup to her face.

"Don't make me look like RuPaul, alright?"

Hiromi laughed, "I would have brought over a little more than eyeliner, mascara, and lipstick if I was going to make you look like RuPaul."

After Hiromi was done Haru looked at the clock seeing they had to leave soon and quickly pulled her hair up in her typically messy bun. She put on some flashy silver shoes to wear with her dress and being that they were heels she knew it would be the only time she'd ever wear them. She gave herself a quick glance in the mirror and decided other than the exposing neckline she didn't look half bad.

"Let's go!" Hiromi said opening the door to scoot Haru out.

They took Hiromi's car to the gallery and Haru felt the color leaving her face as they pulled up seeing that there was a line of car all heading to their destination. "Oh no! I can't do this!" Haru gulped. "Loookk… oh no, I didn't invite all these people!"

"I know. You sent out like 10 invitations, so … I decided to send a few more out for you." Hiromi admitted.

"Like how many more?" Haru questioned.

"Oh … about 25." She whispered.

"What!" Haru said crouching down in her seat and again losing control of her breathing.

"Get it together!" Hiromi shouted.

"Alright." Haru squeaked.

They pulled up the the valet and after they got out Hiromi linked her arm with Haru's pulling her inside. Once in, Haru found herself feeling some what relieved as everyone seemed too busy looking at her art to take notice of the artist. She snuck quickly over to a guy carrying a tray of champagne and she knocked back a couple of glasses before making her rounds.

Feeling much more relaxed she found herself seeing many of her old friend from art school. They showered her with compliments and some tried to impress her with their deep insight on her art pieces. This of course made her want to laugh knowing that all this was inspired after she left a mental hospital, but she just smiled and took the compliments.

She walked around feeling quite content as people gathered around her art studying it as colours by Donovan played in the background bringing further life to the exhibit. A few people just stood on their own taking in the art pieces peacefully and she appreciated their silent observing more than she appreciated the ones that felt they needed to discuss it. It was how the art was suppose to be enjoyed. They were deep pieces, but they also offered a lighter side of life, a brighter side and she felt that's what really should have mattered.

The curator, Satoshi, made his way to her and grinned at her proudly. "You do not disappoint Haru. This is wonderful and the way you set it up, couldn't look better." He said adjusting his little round spectacles.

"Thank you." Haru blushed.

"So are you ready for your presentation?" He asked.

"I suppose. I'm a little nervous." She admitted.

"Here." He said grabbing a glass of champagne off of a passing tray. "Drink up because it's got to happen."

"Might as well." She sighed throwing it back. She then cleared her throat and followed him.

They stood near the front of the gallery and Satoshi started calling everyone to gather. Once the crowd gathered, Satoshi quieted them by clinking his glass and he began speaking. "Thank you everyone for joining us tonight. I'd like to introduce you to are artist Haru Yoshioka. When I met Haru I saw this meek tiny young woman who seemed … like you're artist type. Quiet.. a little eccentric," The crowd giggled, "But then I saw her art and I knew I had to showcase it. It is such a beautiful representation of finding beauty in our sad society, but I'll let her tell you more about it." He then patted her shoulder before stepping aside and pulled her up front.

Finding her strength she took a deep breath and began. "Hi everyone. I just want to thank everyone for coming and … I really didn't expect to see this many people here tonight." A few people chuckled at this knowing how Haru hated attention drawn to her. "I'm glad to see some old faces and the new. I hope my art inspires you to see the beauty even in the bleakest of times. I once had a friend tell me, if you believe in yourself you have nothing to fear wherever you are. I find belief in myself by finding beauty in the world around me even when it seems hard to find. Even when I'm filled with sorrow or fear. I wanted the beauty in my pieces to seem like dreams, but at the same time highlighting the reality and…" Haru's voice cut off as she saw someone tall moving behind the group of people. She could have sworn she saw… she shook her head trying to remember her words, "My apologies, ummm... when you bring your dreams alive you can brighten any part of the world and never fear. Thank you for coming. Thank you so much." She said bowing to thank the crowd.

As she lifted her head she looked around searching for his face, but everyone came at her with questions and compliments. She thank them all as they showered her with compliments, some questioning her on where she got inspired from this and that piece, some telling her of how this pieces reminded them of parts of their life and some offering her commissions. She finally found a chance to excuse herself and as she walked around a corner she ran into Kazuki, her ex-boyfriend.

"Haru." He smiled.

"Kazuki… uhhh… hi. What are you doing here?" She asked scratching her head.

"I am heavily involved in the Tokyo art community Haru. How could I not have heard about it?" He question with his same old pompous smirk.

"I guess that's true.." She laughed nervously.

"You look beautiful and different." He said scanning her head to toe and lingering in areas she wished he wouldn't.

"I guess I've change my view on life and myself. I feel more confident in some ways." She explained.

"I can see that." He moved in closer running his hand up her arm as she pulled away. "Hey, why don't we get out of here and…" Kazuki started to say, but froze mid sentence staring at someone behind Haru.

"I'm sorry darling, I couldn't remember if you preferred reds or whites more, so I brought both. You get first choice." Said a voice that was all too familiar. She found herself froze and tense in disbelief. She turned her head slowly looking over her shoulders in shock. Her eyes drifted up to a tall german looking man with strawberry blond hair and dazzling emerald eyes. "Bbbaarr… Bert!" She gasped blinking at him with wide eyes.

"Sorry. I had to work late." Bert said kissing her cheek and then held out the wine glasses. With shaky hands she grabbed the white. "How rude. I'm interrupting a conversation. Introductions first." He stuck out his hand to Kazuki, "I'm Bert, Haru's boyfriend."

"I'm Kazuki. I'm … an old friend." Kazuki mumbled having to look up to Bert and shaking his hand. After having his hand nearly squeeze off Kazuki stumbled off saying, "I better catch up with the party. See ya Haru."

Haru didn't even wave goodbye to him. She was still awe struck as she stared at Baron… Bert. He met her gaze with his mischievous smile and clever eyes. He then leaned down and kissed her lips shut. A little moan escaped her lips and the world around them seemed to disappear as their kiss deepened. They both pulled away feeling the eyes watching with concern as their passion heated up before the crowd.

"Everyone seems rather nosey." He said pulling away from her to look around.

"I … ummm.. ehhh." Haru's mouth shook and sounds came out, but the words she was trying to form just wouldn't. Finally she choked out. "How did you get here?"

"I told you we would find a way for us to be together." He said running his fingers under her chin.

Her eyes looked up filled with tears and she looked as though she were ready to fall to the ground as her knee shook. He wrapped his arm around her waist to steady her and with his free arm he sat down her wine glass. He moved them to a room of the gallery where they were alone. He gently held his hands on both sides of her face making her meet his gaze once again and pleaded, "Haru, please don't cry. I thought I was doing a good thing by coming back."

"You did. I just … have been in a really bad place since leaving you and seeing you again is like a dream." She whimpered pulling away to wipe her eyes.

"I've haven't been the same either. All I could think about was you." He said pulling her tear covered hands up to his lips and kissing them tenderly.

"Please don't disappear." She begged throwing her arms around his neck and clinging to him.

"I won't. I promise. Do you think that maybe we could get out of here?" Baron whispered in her ear as his hands brushed a loose tendril of her hair back. "I'd like to catch up on a more personal level out of public view."

"You have no idea how much I'd love that." She practically purred looking up at him with darkened eyes.

They snuck out the back and once outside Haru practically climbed him knocking his back into the brick building and kissing him frantically. "Not exactly my first choice of location, but I'll take what I get." He joked looking around at the dark alleyway they were in.

"Sorry my minds going wild." She pulled away panting, but her eyes looked him up and down with hunger. "I want you and I have so many questions, but …"

"They can wait. Is there somewhere a little more private we can go?" He questioned pulling her tightly to him by her hips and playing with the fabric of her skirt.

"Umm… yes. My apartment is just two blocks away." She gulped running her hands under his shirt feeling his firm abs. She didn't want to stop. She just wanted to become one with him there. She felt she was clinging onto a dream as her eyes searched his face over and over again to make sure he was in her reality. She finally pulled herself away with a little groan of reluctancy and grabbing his hand she pulled him running down the street.

Every street lamp they passed felt like a marker on a game board. The destination was insight and she felt passing the last street light before her apartment she'd made it to the finish line. She looked over her shoulder to make sure he was still there holding her hand and sure enough he was. An excited giggle left her lips as they entered her building and climbed the stairs. She stopped in front of her door and with shaky hands she pulled out her keys. As she began to unlock the door she felt Baron wrap his arms around her waist and he began planting kissing on the back of her neck. She felt every nerve tightening and tingle up the inside of her thighs and she leaned back into him with a moan. She took a deep breath trying to restore her concentration as the key finally opened her door and as she stepped into her apartment she roughly pulled him in behind her.

She turned to him and all other thoughts seemed to wash away as she ran her hands over his shoulders. Then a rude reminder of her living habits came to her as they struggled through a mess of sculpting supplies. "Sorry it's very small and messy." She apologized not caring as much as she should have as she flipped on the light.

His eyes left her momentarily as he looked down at the paper stuck to his feet and nodding. He then saw there wasn't really space for him to move where there wasn't a mess. "This is barely a room Haru. It's more like a closet." He chuckled.

"I'm a struggling artist." She explained in a husky voice while wrapping her arms around his neck. "I can't afford anything more than this, but I couldn't care less about it right now. The bed is cleared off, so that's all that matters." She then pulled him into the direction of her bed, but as she did so they tripped over a cord stretched across her room and with a yelp they fell just short of her bed. Both chuckled rubbing the parts of them that hit the floor and then Baron stood helping her up.

"That is if we can make it to the bed." He grinned holding her shoulders to help her steady herself on her feet. He then looked her over with a heavy lidded stare. "It almost doesn't seem real. I've fantasized over this moment since we parted ways, imagining the feel of you again, holding you, smelling the scent of your hair..." He muttered pulling the hair tie loose from her messy bun. She shook her hair loose and her hands found the button of his shirt.

"If you only knew how you haunted my own dreams." She whispered as her hands shook over his shirt. "I couldn't escape the memory of us. It was a sweet torture, but I don't regret any of it. This moment … makes it worth anything that I suffered." Her fingers fought against her will as she tried to push a button of his shirt through the hole and she looked up at him a little embarrassed not being able to complete a simple task. Baron reach his hands up helping her. Once his shirt was unbuttoned she moved it off his arms and down his smooth back. It hit the floor and her mouth dropped as he stood like a statue of an adonis. He took advantage of her frozen like state and went on to remove the remainder of his clothing.

"I forgot how sexy you were." She gulped running her fingers over the lines of his chest and stomach. As her lips found his collarbone her hands moved further down him him. He groaned feeling her palms run down him and he impatiently pulled her away to remove her dress. She helped him by swiftly removing her underwear and his eyes took a moment to take her in before wrapping his arms around her to lift her up for a kiss. She wrapped her legs around his waist like the first time they were together, having a hard time staying on her toes to reach his height, but he seemed more than pleased with this action as a smirk formed on his mouth. His hands cupped her bottom, also like their time before, holding her tighter to that part of his body that did little to hide his want for her.

"I'm ashamed my memories didn't hold true to your beauty. It's been far too long." He said with a hot breath in her ear and laying her on the bed. The sensation of his breath and hearing his sensual accent in her ear sent her reeling. She felt ready to lose control in that moment and her eyes closed tight as she tried to gain control over herself. Just as she was starting to calm her untamed desires she felt Baron nibbling and sucking down her body. He roughly lifted her to him as he devoured her breast. She arched her back, whimpering and her head fell back now at his mercy.

"Please tell me … mmmm…. this isn't a dream." She moaned.

"It's not a dream." He breathed over her skin and looked up her with those startling green eyes darkened by a thick layer of dark blonde lashes. His lips curls into a smirk as she looked down at him with in a daze of arousal and then his wicked fingers decided to torture her all the more as they found their way between her legs. Their lusty gaze at one another broke as her head crashed again into her pillow and a cry of euphoria fell from her lips.

He crawled up next to her as his skillful fingers pulled her body into a feral frenzy. She grabbed his hands before they brought her into a climax and he looked up at her confused. "No more foreplay." She groaned and pushed him down on the bed crawling on top of him.

Baron's eyes grew large as the thrill of Haru climbing on top of him made his breath catch in his throat. He gulped his breath down as she sensually climbed over him and quickly positioned him to her. Both cried out as their bodies came crashing together. Neither Baron nor Haru moved as both took a moment of exhilaration of being joined. Baron let out a sigh of relief before pulling himself up in that small bed to place a kiss on Haru's lip. His tongue tasted at her lips, jaw and neck as his hands slid from her waist to her back. His hands tangled in his long hair that came down the center of her back and he buried his nose in the bend of her neck.

"Like honeysuckle." He muttered. "I missed that so much."

Haru ran her hands to each side of his face and stared with deep devotion into his eyes. "I didn't get to tell you this the last time, but I love you. I love you more than I can put into words."

"I love you too, but ... rather than tell you I'd like to show you." He smirked finding her lips as he moved her hips up and down over him. Her breath staggered and her lips pulled away as her head fell back with a sigh of delight leaving her throat.

Though they were in her wreck of an apartment the atmosphere around them felt like heaven. The intensity of their passion and devotion seemed to engulf them as they brought each other closer to that glorious end with caresses of worship and sounds of pleasure. Baron clung to her hips tighter and tighter as he felt himself losing control, but he could see she was almost there as well. He pulled her down to him tightly, wrapping his arms around her and tangling his hands in her thick silky locks as he found his release. At the same time he felt her finding her own release around him and she cried out burying her head on his chest.

"Haru." Her name passed his lips more like a worship than a calling, but she still looked up at him with heavy eyes.

"That was incredible." She muttered in a groggy voice and situated herself to his side laying on his shoulder.

"mmm… yes it was." He agreed running his fingers through her hair and down her back.

"It all seems too good to be true. You're not going to disappear by morning or tell me you have to leave?" She questioned fearfully.

"No. I"m all yours if you'll have me. I mean you better have me." He chuckled. His eyes then moved off her and he stared up at the ceiling with serious eyes. "You see...I can never really return back to my old form or go back to the cat bureau."

"I"m never letting you go." She said nuzzling her face into his neck. She then lifted her head and with a curious brow asked, "How are you here for good?"

"You've made me a mortal and human my dear." He told her with a half cocked grin.

She blinked her shocked eyes. "What?"

"You know that sculpture you made of me?" He asked.

"Yes."

"You put so much love and devotion into it my soul took on this new form. You brought me into a new life Haru." He said gently running his fingers over her cheeks. "and I couldn't be happier with it and umm...thank you for not removing any inches off me." He winked.

She giggled. "Why would I do that? I like all your inches, but I finished that sculpture weeks ago. Why didn't you come find me then?"

"I had to settle things at the cat bureau." He started to explain. "When you began forming me I slowly started changing form. It was very unusual. Parts of me became human one by one. I wasn't sure what was happening. Abbie screamed frightened at me at least once a day being that I looked like a strange monster at times." He chuckled. "Then one day I awoke being completely human. I don't know how, but I knew it was you that did this with your artistry. I told Abbie and Muta I could no longer remain there and they agreed to take over my duties at the cat bureau. Since they made the oath to help those who came to the cat bureau my magical contract was broke. About a week ago Toto explained the portal had opened on it's own, but being that I was no longer immortal he explained the only way I'd get back there is if I found myself in trouble with the cat kingdom."

Haru nodded putting the puzzle pieces together. "So the portal to the cat bureau is open. How about to the cat kingdom?"

"That remains closed." He sighed contently.

"Then I don't see you or I running into any issues with the cat kingdom." Haru realized.

"Correct. That's why I'll never find myself at the cat bureau." He said with his grin twisting into his dimples happily.

"So you really are here for good." She re-clarified.

"Yes and I wouldn't trade being here with you for immortality, for a comfortable living space," He teased looking around her room, "for power, or for all the riches in the world. I'd stay here with you in this tiny mess of an apartment forever." He pulled her face to his to find her lips and pulled away with a smirk adding, "However, I think we'll be able to afford something a little more substantial."

"Hmm?" Haru questioned with a curious brow.

"Being that I know all languages of the world I managed to get a job at the embassy." He explained. "I start next week."

Haru's face only became more confused. "What? Without any identity, references or experience?"

"Before I left the cat bureau my sister managed to use her magic to form a past for me, so in this world I am Bert VonGik who has been working as a linguist at the embassy in Germany, but moved to Japan to be closer to his fiance."

Haru's eyes twinkled, "Fiance huh?"

"Girlfriend just didn't sound suitable and it is my hopes to one day be your husband, but … this is good for now. I don't want to push you into something you're not ready for." He said hugging her tightly to his side.

"I'm not against the idea, but ya, today's not the day to for that discussion. I just want to focus on this right now. Being in your arms again, having you here." She yawned and snuggled to his side.

He got up briefly to turn off the lights as Haru reached over to turn on a lamp. He stumbled his way back to bed and cuddled his delicate Haru back to his body. He pulled the blankets around them and thought to himself that even if the bed was bigger he'd still be holding her to him just as close. He never wanted to feel separated from her again. She fell asleep nuzzling into his chest with a little smile on her lips and after several minutes of staring at her his eyes began to close pulling him into a deep slumber.


	12. Chapter 12

"I can't believe mom's getting rid of this place." Haru said rubbing her belly looking around her old Akitakata home.

"I can't believe she gave us the house in Tokyo." Baron said wrapping his arms around Haru and kissing the back of her neck.

"Well we couldn't stay in that tiny apartment forever." Haru said turning to wrap her arms around Baron's neck and kiss his soft lips.

He moaned pulling her to him and running his hands down her back. A smiled formed on his lips as he felt the baby kicking at him through Haru's belly and pulled away from the kiss to place his palms on the thumping. He sighed contently before looking around at their surroundings. "So this is where you grew up?"

"Ya. Before my dad died this was our home." She sighed grabbing his hand and walking him around the house. "We moved to Tokyo because mom's fashion business was growing there. It's a long commute and being that she was the only provider we had no choice. Even though we moved she couldn't sell this place. It became our retreat, but now that she's moving to Paris I guess she has her reasons."

She was slightly upset with her mother for leaving. It was a month after Haru announced she was pregnant that her mother made her own announcement and she felt it was selfish to leave during this time when she needed her the most. However after her mother told her she was giving her the house near Tokyo she let go of some of her resentments. Plus she knew that even if she didn't have her mother she'd have her cousins, friends, and Baron who seemed more excited about the baby than herself.

"It certainly is a beautiful home and the surroundings are enchanting. I see where you drew inspiration." He smiled removing his hold to look around. He saw a drawing of a building hanging on the wall. It was very modern looking and was labeled like a diagram. "What's this?" He asked turning to Haru and pointing at the sketch.

"My father's design. He was an architect. He won some big award for that." She smiled. "I remember going to the awards ceremony with him and mom. I was nine I believe. It was the year before he died."

Baron ran his fingers over Haru's frown and then pulled her chin up so that she could meet his gaze. "It sounds like he worked very hard to provide for you and your mother. He'd be very proud to see what you've accomplished."

She nodded. "He was the hardest worker I ever met. That's what killed him. He became obsessed, but …" She took a deep breath and forced a smile, "I still have lovely memories of him and it taught me to focus on what's important. Family."

Baron softly rubbed her belly. "So true. I can't wait to hold my little kitten."

"Stop it! It's going to be a human baby. Beside the ultrasound didn't show cat ears or a long tail."

He chuckled, "Yes, but you almost lost it when you thought his gender was a tail."

Haru narrowed her eyes scolding him as he teased her, but with a giggle she admitted. "It was pretty funny. I'm sure our doctors thinks I'm crazy." She thought back to that day. She was nervous as the doctor ran the ultrasound probe over her stomach and she was relieved when she saw the baby had a human face, but as the probe ran over the lower part of the body she saw something coming out from between the babies legs, which she mistook for a curled in tail. Haru screamed, 'No! A tail!' The doctor looked at her startled with Haru's outburst and corrected, 'No. That's a penis,' and that's how they found out their baby's gender.

"So … what do you want to bring back with us?" He asked grabbing a box from the pile of boxes he'd put together near the door.

"Let's start in my old room." She said stretching her back as the baby stretched within her.

She entered her old room from her childhood which was decorate with different light catchers, colorful fabrics, and strange little stuffed creatures on shelves. She smiled now seeing the inspiration for her art had always been there. Haru walked over to her window seat and began digging through it. She found a few books that her mother had read to her as a child, a little rattle and then a little white bunting she had worn as a baby. She held it up showing Baron. He softly grinned and gave her an adoring gaze as he thought of their baby bundled up in it, but something caught the corner of his eyes.

"Isn't this peculiar." He said nervously looking at the toys on the shelf.

"What's that?" Haru asked trying to pull herself up, but finding that at 6 months it was no longer a simple task. Baron seeing her struggle quickly came to her side and supported her as she used him to pull herself up. "What's peculiar." She again asked stretching her back with a groan.

"That." He said a little pale in the face as he pointed to the shelf. On it was a little brown tabby kitten with bright green eyes dressed in a little sailor boy costume. Haru felt her own face growing pale and she felt rather dizzy as her thoughts went to the same fearful place as Baron's.

"I don't remember that toy." She whispered grabbing onto Baron's arm for support.

"It's a little kitten… a boy kitten. Haru … it looks like …"

"I know what it looks like." She interrupted in a shaken voice. "I'm just trying to figure out where it came from."

"I'd say lets pack it to be on the safe side." Baron gulped.

"Maybe we're over reacting. I mean… there's a chance that I had it on the shelf unnoticed my whole childhood or … I'm just not remembering it." Haru tried to convince herself.

"Heh, yes, I'm sure that's it." Baron said trying to hide his fears, but as his eyes met Haru's it was evident that they both were lying to themselves. Baron took the doll off the shelf and the more he studied it the more apparent it became. This was their son's cat form.


End file.
